#the great grim refuses to be alone in that “ramshackle” dorm

[crystallizsch]

i really like how canonically yuu is genuinely supportive of grim wanting to be a great mage. if i recall correctly, even character voice lines point this out. and it seems like yuu dotes on grim a lot and defends him too??? yuu even encourages grim's ambitions whenever he declares wanting to be a great mage. and also when he does that boss-henchhuman dynamic. i mean yeah you can interpret it as yuu saying that being condescending and sarcastic as if they're talking to a child saying "when i grow up i want to be famous!" but like. i really think they're genuine when mc loves grim in their own way.

even if grim is usually a menace, he's become like family to yuu.

and i'm pretty sure grim feels the same way.

think about it this way. despite all the mess, all the unpredictability, the danger, and all the drama being in nrc. what's always the constant? yuu goes home at the end of the day to the ramshackle dorm (basically their home at this point considering they slowly but surely fix it up over time) and with who? “the great mage” grim. as the sole outcasts in that academy, they both sleep soundly knowing they will always have each other at the end of the day.

[pomefioredove]

only one bed room

summary: it's the sdc and everyone's staying over at ramshackle but, oh no! you're one room and one bed short. being the generous (or gullible) soul that you are, you agree to share characters: all sdc competitors, separate additional info: fair warning I have no replayed book 5 in a while, reader is yuu, reader is gender neutral, rook is rook, most scenarios end in cuddles. can be interpreted as romantic or platonic (nix vil and rook's part)

Deuce Spade

"I don't mind sleeping on the floor!"

it's a big fat no from Vil. waking up sore and tired is unacceptable, and will affect his performance during practice. he will use the bed, end of story.

you offer to take the floor or one of the many stiff and uncomfortable couches in Ramshackle, but he refuses

what kind of aspiring honor student would he be if he kicked you out of your own room?

so, yes, you end up sharing the bed

he's a perfect gentleman about it

he insists on sleeping on the complete opposite end of the bed

to give you your space, of course

not because he's nervous

obviously it doesn't pan out- he's kind of a messy sleeper, and on the first night you wake up with him sprawled on top of you

you decide not to wake him up

you'd been thinking about saving for a weighted blanket, anyway

Ace Trappola

"you better not hog the blankets,"

takes it like a champ, though he might be screaming internally

he already sleeps in a dorm with three other guys- this can't be any different, right?

it totally is

sharing a bed with someone? someone he likes, who he isn't just forced to live with for convenience?

he's not sure how to tease you about this one without coming off as nervous himself

so he just shuts his trap about it (for once) and accepts his fate

in the end, it's no big deal for a player like him

he ends up hogging the blankets, though. hypocrite.

Kalim al-Asim

"YAYYY SLEEPOVER!"

he means exactly what he says

not a care in the world

all he's thinking about is how fun this is going to be! just him and his favorite Ramshackle prefect (Grim heard the news and will be staying in deuce's room to avoid any cracker mishaps)

Kalim, admittedly, is not a creature of great thought. he tends to be dictated by his feelings, and he can be a little selfish sometimes

so when Jamil pulled him aside and asked him to just buy another bed for ramshackle, he ignored him entirely

why would he do that? the situation is resolved, and everyone's happy!

well... not everyone, but Kalim's happy!

he stocks up on Vil-approved snacks, insists you two braid each other's hair and stay up late into the night talking with no one to remind you to go to sleep

(he tried to invite Jamil and got the door slammed in his face)

this arrangement lasts approximately one night

when Vil sees the dark circles under your eyes, it's over

you are confined to the couch, and Kalim is forced to sleep alone

Jamil Viper

"okay,"

really. he's totally fine with it.

besides the fact that he doesn't want to cause any more trouble, he's shared beds with his siblings before. no big deal

he just wasn't expecting to wake up with you snuggled against him

but this is fine

totally fine

he's barely conscious and it's early morning, still dark, the time he's used to getting up at

Vil has things covered, right? he can stay here for a little while longer. it would be awkward trying to get up without waking you

it feels nice having something all to himself for once

he smirks, imagining how jealous everyone else would be:

the beautiful, kind, intelligent ramshackle prefect in his arms? oh, the looks on their faces would almost make this whole thing worth it!

but in the end, he decides to say nothing

he wants to keep you all to himself, after all

for just a little while longer

Epel Felmier

"ain't no way I'm sharing!"

that's what he says in his head, anyway. but it's late and he's worn out from practice (and being shouted at) so he just sighs and accepts his fate

of course Vil would make him do it. it's probably because he's the smallest, isn't it?

you can tell he's unhappy with the arrangement (not that he's making much of a secret of it- he's grumbling under his breath all evening)

he starts coming around to the idea when he wakes up holding something warm

his heart jumpstarts and he nearly panics before remembering where he is

and then he realizes the thing he's holding is... you. somehow the two of you had ended up spooning during the night

but, more importantly... he's the big spoon!

he's almost tempted to wake you to announce that he, in all his manly glory, had naturally assumed the most masculine cuddling position!

(yes he sounds ridiculous. just let him have this one)

he lets you sleep, though. just a little more won't hurt anyone, right?

he's okay with the arrangement after that

Rook Hunt

"I will do it!"

Vil isn't even able to finish his sentence before the vice housewarden is practically jumping up and down

pretty much everyone breathes a collective sigh of relief; a volunteer! thank the sevens. otherwise, this could get awkward...

of course, he quite intentionally ends up with you in his arms

but not for any nefarious purpose, he insists!

he's a light sleeper, and can be stirred by any sudden noise or movement

you appeared to be having some kind of nightmare

it reminds him of a small animal caught in a trap, struggling for its life. he can't bear to see it- it's cruel to let a poor creature go on suffering before you can make the kill

of course, instead of killing you (thank the sevens), he decides to comfort you

he presses your head against his chest so you can hear his heartbeat, and he runs his fingers through your hair until you calm down.

then he keeps you there, just to be sure you don't have another bad dream

if you gave him permission, he would gladly be all over you in seconds. kissing up and down your shoulders, caressing every perfect inch of your body, whispering words of admiration

but he's perfectly content just cradling you for now

hopefully, you will continue to have these nightmares and give him excuses to do this again

Vil Schoenheit

"don't argue with me,"

initially, you just gave him the bed

maybe you were afraid of him; maybe you like him; maybe you just wanted to avoid a conflict altogether

either way, you spent the first night on the terribly uncomfortable floor, and trudged through Ramshackle like a zombie the next morning

Vil was feeling guilty watching you

what? he's not a monster

and he's a leader, which means he has a responsibility. and you had so graciously invited them all into your home...

fine! he'll share. he insists, even

when you try to argue, he shuts you down, repeating all that stuff about responsibility and hospitality, blah blah

and he doesn't want the team manager dead on their feet

arguing with him is pointless, so you just agree

he wakes up with you against him, sleeping peacefully

now, if it were you clinging to him- he might have had a good chuckle. can't keep your hands to yourself, prefect? I'm just that irresistible?

but the way he's holding you, the way his arms are so tightly wrapped around your waist, the way he's so clearly pressing you against him...

he hates to admit it, but you're an elegant sleeper. it's almost cute

the tension is relieved from your face, your breathing graceful and steady, and your perfect lips open just a sliver...

he is a perfect gentleman, and would never dream of doing anything without your explicit permission, but for one shameful second he thinks about how easy it would be to kiss you

... and then he quickly puts those thoughts aside and tries to get back to sleep

he doesn't want any dark circles, after all

[bibiddibobiddi-boo]

I'm not sorry for....

Hello my dearies~ This is the last Ace x Yuu angst I have planned! For now~ It can be read as a part of the rest of the series or a stand alone~ Summary: Yuu is to leave Twisted Wonderland and confronts Ace one last time about their feelings

Pairing: Ace x Yuu

Cw: Angst, crying, shitty feelings

I recommend listening to Not Sorry For Loving You from Epic the musical by Jorge Rivera-Herrans

"Is Ace here?" Yuu asked when they reached Heartslabyul. They had news to share.

Trey simply pointed to the hallway, a bit too busy cooking. Yuu stalked through the hallway and stopped in front of the door they knew was Ace and Deuce's. He took a deep breath and opened the door. Ace was at his desk. He turned around upon hearing the door opening and smiled as he caught sight of Yuu.

"Hey Yuu!" He started joyful, yet upon seeing Yuu's serious face, his smile diminished. "Is everything okay...?"

"Crowley arrived at Ramshackle today... He said found a way to get me home. I'm leaving in a few days." Yuu swallowed the lump in their throat as they sat on Ace's bed, looking at their hands.

Ace blinked once, twice. He took time to process the information. He looked at Yuu, who still refused to look in his eyes.

"Oh.... This is.... Great, isn't it?" Ace tentatively said, attempting a smile again.

"Yeah..." Yuu seemed pensive. A silence hung between them for a good 5 minutes before they looked up again to him. "I just wanted to say you're unlike anyone I have ever known." They said with a sad smile.

Ace knew that smile all too well, and he was despised it on Yuu's face. It was the smile they opened every time Ace had reminded them they weren't anything special when Yuu and he lost themselves too deep in each other's eyes and walked on the thin line that separated friends from significant others.

"Hum..." He looked down this time.

"I..." They started then paused. Ace raised his gaze again upon noticing the lack of words.

"If I pushed you, or if I came on too strong. Or if ambushed you, for that I'll say I was wrong and regret it. I didn't mean that." They finally got the words out, seemingly holding back their tears. "I regret those. I'm sorry about that. But I'm not sorry for loving you." Ace's heart tightened at hearing those words. And Yuu continued, "I'm sorry about everything, but not loving you. That was the best decision I ever made." Yuu let out a sad laugh and took Ace's hand in their own, squeezing it before letting it go.

Moments after, Yuu had left the room, leaving Ace to process everything.

------------------

It had been two days since Yuu came to talk to Ace. He was still processing everything. But he knew he had to talk to them. He ran through Night Raven College, asking around for them. The students answered they seemed angry, tired, restless. Sad. Maybe he should avoid them for now, they didn't seem open to conversation. But Ace had avoided that conversation for far too long.

According to everyone, Yuu hadn’t left Ramshackle for the past two days. Deuce and Epel had been keeping them company, but after a day, they were asked to leave. Therefore, Yuu was alone with Grim.

Ace took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Yuu opened it a few moments later. They looked pitiful. Their eyes were red and swollen, there were clear marks on where their tears had rolled on their cheeks, their clothes were mismatched and all crumpled and they had eye bags.

“What do you want?” They sighed, exhausted, allowing Ace inside of the dorm. He came closer and lifted their chin to look him in the eyes. At that, Yuu scowled and pushed Ace away.

“Don’t do that.” They muttered.

“Do what?”

“Pretend that you care about me, or whatever it is.” They said and sat back on the couch. “I’m stuck in the moments I swore that we had already, okay? I don’t need more.”

Ace stood in front of the couch, then he sat on the floor, crossing his legs. He kept in silence. And they stayed in silence for some time.

“Sometimes,” Yuu broke the silence, “I know I’m a bit delusional, but I wish you would chase me or try to embrace me…” They whispered and looked down, “For once, I wish you would lie and say….”

‘I love you.’ Ace thought. But didn’t say. He only thought, as his coward heart prevented him from accepting it. Prepared him to the moment Yuu would leave.

“Listen, I really like you. Really.” He smiled and Yuu seemed to slightly lighten up.

“You do?”

“But not in the way that you want me to…” Ah. It had to be expected.

Yuu nodded and closed their eyes. ‘I hate that I fell in love with you…’ They though to themselves as Ace stood up and said goodbye. He left Yuu to deal with their spiralling thoughts. They were not sorry for loving. But the package as a whole, the pain, the rejection, the wandering thoughts. They hated those.

‘Why did I fall in love with you?’ Ace was also lost in thoughts. He hated how pained Yuu looked, how pained they sounded. But it couldn’t be helped. No matter how much he loved them, he couldn’t.

‘What do I do with this love for you?’ They shared thoughts, unknowingly. ‘How am I supposed to get over you?’

------------

It was time. Yuu stood in front of the mirror, their way home. Crowley stood by the mirror's side, waiting for them, to start the ritual.

Yuu looked behind them, all their friends gathered there. Some were crying, some were comforting others, some smiled sadly. Yuu shared one last hug with the first years, their closest group. They pat Grim's fur, gently shushing his cries.

And then Ace came up to them.

He held their hand for a bit and squeezed it. He opened a sad smile and nodded.

"Bye, Yuu." He whispered, leaving unsaid words in the air.

Yuu bit their lip as they swallowed the lump in their throat, as they climbed towards the mirror. They looked back one last time.

"Why in the world won't you love me too...?" They whispered before they turned and passed the mirror. They were back in their house. Nothing had changed.

But Yuu had brought back two things. A letter that Ace had written while he was away for some holidays, and a broken heart. They didn't even take a step before they fell to their knees and sobbed loudly. How miserable it is to have a broken heart.

On the other side of the mirror, Ace hadn't managed better. The prefect gone, he fell to his knees and cried, mourning a love that never happened.

His heart could have tried, but the pain of being broken is not one predictable.

I'll take a break since school started but do send me ideas please!

[marigoldendragon]

For the oc ask, maybe your self-insert or whichever you think fits the best 💞💞💚💚

What's their guilty pleasure?

What's the fastest way to piss them off? To calm them down? To cheer them up?

Have they ever tasted Lilia's cooking. Did. Did they like it?

Has Lilia ever pranked them? How did it go? Did they get him back?

Do they work at the Mostro Lounge? If so, what position? Was it by choice? Do they enjoy it? What's their biggest customer pet peeve/most ridiculous request they've seen/heard?

What class do they dread the most? Why?

Hi Hana :D 🧡

What's their guilty pleasure?

I answered this one for my boys in another ask, so my Yuu's guilty pleasure would probably be super soft and fluffy blankets. Being yanked from her world and shoved into a creaky old Ramshackle, a good plush blanket would be of great comfort.

What's the fastest way to piss them off? To calm them down? To cheer them up?

For my Yuu: Probably anything Grim related. How DARE you hurt/scare/be mean to her precious only family. Other people trying to calm her down just gets her more annoyed, she needs time alone to be able to decompress. But lots of things cheer her up. If she can see that the person is sincerely trying to make her feel better then the effort is very much appreciated. Other than that. Chocolate.

Have they ever tasted Lilia's cooking. Did. Did they like it?

For Ollie: yes he's tried Lilia's cooking, I don't think there are many people in the dorm who he hasn't tried to foist his food onto. Did he like it? No, not one little bit. He spat out that one bite and then magically blew up the rest of the offending 'meal'

For Yuu: no. She took one look at it and said no thanks, I value life. She then had to cheer up a sulking Lilia :P

Has Lilia ever pranked them? How did it go? Did they get him back?

Bazza got startled and took a swing at Lilia, who poofed himself out of harms way. After that first time of what the fuck, he loves it. Thinks it's great fun to have Lilia spook him randomly.

Lachlan reflexively tried to bite the danger, and just barely missed Lilia. Lilia of course then tried to coax Lachlan into actually biting him to see if his venom would kill a fae. Lacklan refused to take that chance.

Yuu doesn't mind small pranks that don't inconvenience her, but startles easily, so anytime he does that on purpose she won't talk to him for a few days.

Ollie tried to claw Lilia's eyes out the first time he dropped in on him, but he very quickly got wise to Lilia's tricks and Lilia doesn't find him too fun to try and prank anymore. Lilia does however like how easy it is bribe Ollie into helping him with pranking other people.

Do they work at the Mostro Lounge? If so, what position? Was it by choice? Do they enjoy it? What's their biggest customer pet peeve/most ridiculous request they've seen/heard?

None of my boys would ever willingly work there. I can see Lachlan getting caught up in the book 3 schemes though, he hated that anemone growing out of his head.

My Yuu would probably end up working there in most timelines. It's a shady place but Azul pays better than Crowley ever does. In the timelines where she's more friendly with the octatrio she'd be helping Azul brainstorm new ideas for the lounge. Otherwise she just does her best to keep her head down, get her check and skedaddle.

What class do they dread the most? Why?

My Yuu would hate the practical magic classes the most. Watching everyone else get to do magic while the best she can do is know the theory and try and coach Grim through the class. It's saddens her. But watching Grim succeed at least puts a smile on her face.

[vera-deville]

I Won't Say (I'm in Love)

06/20/2023 - 07/12/2023

Pairing: Leona Kingscholar x Reader

Word Count: 1,754

Warnings: A little bit of cursing, but that's all!

Gender: AFAB

Tags: @pyroxeene, @achy-boo, @savanaclaw1996

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

In which Y/N refuses to say that she's in love.

"Shit." Y/N hissed as she swung open the cabinet door, only to reveal that there was no white paint. Or fuschia for that matter-

"Grim!" She called loudly.

Only the Great Seven know what possessed Y/N at three in the morning to scourge through her entire dorm, trying to figure out where in Twisted Wonderland she kept her newly bought (with hard-earnt money) white paint, but it certainly had her occupied and in a frenzy trying to find it.

Reaching Grim's bed, Y/N was about to shout at him to wake up and help her find her precious white paint when the sight of Grim's unnatural peacefully sleeping self tugged at her heartstrings and she couldn't bring herself to do so.

Damn it.

Back to searching all alone she supposed.

Eventually Y/N had been searching for far too long in the early morning and somehow willed herself to try and haul herself to dreamland (key word being try).

The next morning, Y/N got herself ready earlier than usual and told Grim to head to the breakfast hall without her since she had something to do. That something should be right across this hallway and should inhabit a large crow man-child.

And she would be right. There, watching rather remorsefully down the window was Crowley, the glorious headmaster of Night Raven College (or at least he's supposed to be glorious). Clearing her throat seemed to do the trick to bring Crowley out of his strange reverie since the painfully loud screech the door made when opening didn't.

"And what can I do as the most gracious headmaster ever?"

Okay. Time to work the charms of an isekaid student.

"Headmaster! I came to you because I require a favor from you." Crowley nodded for her to continue. "I need some money for some supplies you see, and I haven't much on me."

"I'm afraid that though my generosity knows no bounds, I can't simply favor a student and give them money from the school's funds."

"Oh whatever shall I do Headmaster? I was planning on painting a stunning portrait of the brilliant man who runs this prestigious institution and-"

A wad of cash materialized in front of her.

"Thank you Headmaster~"

Walking out of the room without another word, Y/N giggled devilishly to herself about her newly earnt money. One, two, three, four, five...60 Thaumarks. Okay, not bad. What was bad was this eerie feeling she felt from specifically in front of her. Looking up ahead, she realized that she almost had walked straight ahead into a well-built chest.

A well-built chest clad in yellow satin.

Fuck-

Two vibrant green eyes accompanied with a handsome smirk looked down at her, slowly moving from the wad of cash in her hands back up to her face. Y/N's own eyes followed his trail of sight and instinctively pulled the Thaumarks closer to her chest, as though protecting them from him.

"Didn't peg you as a petty thief little Herbivore" Leona teased.

"Oh screw yourself Leona. For your information, this is hard earnt money!" (He did not need to know just how hard it was).

"Careful. You might get eaten up alive with all that money out in the open."

"I'm sure I'll be able to fend for myself. I've been doing it all this time, haven't I?"

Without letting Leona get another word in, Y/N zoomed past him, not unlike a rabbit running away from a lion. Chuckling to himself, Leona stalked off to some obscure part of the campus where he could ditch class in favor of cat naps.

If there's a prize for rotten judgement...

Y/N dashed past corridors until she got to Ramshackle and was safe from prying eyes. Slamming the door shut, she hugged the Thaumarks once again closer to her bosom, and shifted her entire weight against the now closed (and locked) doors of her dorm room.

I guess I've already won that.

Feeling the heat in her face become more insufferable, Y/N cursed the Great Seven for the predicament she found herself in. Her burning cheeks huffed and puffed, thinking about the aggravating lion beastman that had stolen her heart (without her permission might she add).

No man is worth the aggravation...

That's right! What made Leona so special that her heart found itself twisted beyond the point of entanglement? Nothing! Absolutely nothing. She could live her life just as she had before. No feelings here. No sirree. God knows how well the last time went-

That's ancient history, been there, done that!

Shaking her head out of the strange reverie she found herself in, Y/N slapped her cheeks as hard as she could, hid her money in a secret cabinet that not even Grim knew of, and rushed to class.

"Bonjour ma cherie~" A very familiar voice called out to her the second she stepped out of Crewel's classroom.

"Hey! Rook! How have you been?" Y/N asked excitedly.

The two chittered loudly as they walked through the hallways, one of them oblivious to viridescent eyes following their every movement.

Who'd'ya think you're kiddin', he's the Earth and heaven to you.

"He's definitely into you, so why don't you just admit that you like him?" Rook asked.

Try to keep it hidden, Honey, we can see right through you.

"What the fuck did you just say?" An astonished Y/N asked.

"My such foul language from such a pretty thing like you. Vil certainly would not like to hear that~"

"I'm not in love with Leona Kingscholar."

"Mhmm~"

"Like what is there to like about him in the first place? He's lazy, misses the majority of his classes, has that annoying ass smirk on his face every time I see him-"

Girl, ya can't conceal it, we know how ya feel.

Rook grinned to himself. He wondered how long it would take Y/N to admit that she was in love.

The day passed by as usual, but there was a certain heaviness in Y/N's mind throughout, and a distant pang in her heart swam through her every now and then.

On her way back to Ramshackle, Y/N stopped by Crowley's office to let him know that she would be heading out to buy her supplies soon. Grabbing her purse (a gift from Vil, because apparently she couldn't just bring her backpack everywhere) and stashing her money in it, Y/N found herself practically skipping to town.

Until Leona Kingscholar showed up. Again.

"And where are you off to in such a scurry?"

"It's none of your business Kingscholar. Now out of my way! The loves of my life await me!"

Confused, Leona felt his ears twitch in irritation. Loves of her life? Plural? Since when did the Herbivore have relationships?

"I'll come with you."

"Huh?"

"You might get yourself killed in town. Who knows? After all, you're just a small, fragile herbivore." Leona remarked, still pissed about the supposed "loves" of her life.

"But I'm just getting some stuff? Even Crowley said it was fine. Why are you so worked up about me going out?" Y/N asked, upset about the current situation that was stalling her from splurging on art supplies.

Eventually, Y/N agreed to let Leona accompany her, and Leona mentally prepared himself to scare off her suitor, well, in this case, suitors apparently. Deep inside, Y/N felt the familiar bubbling giddiness whenever Leona was in her presence, and she tried oh so hard to push it down before she choked on the feeling and threw up.

When they reached the store Y/N had in mind to buy her supplies, Leona stood confused. Who the fuck meets up with their lovers on a date at a fucking art store? The human that he happened to be in love with, apparently.

But very quickly, Leona realized (much to his inner embarrassment) that Y/N had been excited about getting new paints and other supplies, not about meeting any significant others. Good grief, he was losing his edge-

The lion beastman watched as the human flitted about back and forth and everywhere in between the store, almost like a buzzing bee. Minus the buzzing noise, of course. The sight made his heart constrict in all the best ways.

It almost felt like a date to Y/N, what with Leona coming along with her on her personal errand, holding things that she asked him to hold (might as well put him to work if all he was going to do was look lost in the place), and judge for himself which paintbrushes were better. He would grumble about being handled as though he were a servant, but never stopped helping Y/N with anything he could.

Maybe Rook was right. Maybe Leona did actually like her-

No chance! No Way!

She wouldn't say it, no.

But thinking back to all the times her mind became all fuzzy and muddled because of Leona Kingscholar, she wondered if she was denying things.

No, of course not.

It's too cliche!

She wouldn't say that she's in love.

But look at him looking so thoroughly at paintbrushes so that she could get the best set. How could that possibly not make her swoon? He's looking at paintbrushes, paintbrushes, and it was all for her, and it was making her feel things that she really thought she wouldn't feel again. It seems as though her heart hadn't learnt its lesson. Shame on it.

Pushing down the intrusive thoughts as though she were pushing down bile, Y/N tried to make quick work of her rare excursion. When they finally made it back to NRC, she begrudgingly thanked Leona for his time and effort and ran faster than a cheetah all the way back to her dorm.

Running past Grim who was snacking on tuna, Y/N locked the door to her room.

Looking down at the supplies she'd bought, Y/N realized that a set of colored pencils that she'd really wanted, but didn't get because they were way out of budget, somehow magically found their way into her shopping bag.

No chance...

There was no way. But it was beginning to be glaringly obvious even to herself. But this scene shouldn't have played! And that damned mirror in her room was no help, what with it showing that grin on her lips.

Maybe, just maybe...

Oh, she wouldn't admit that she was in love. At least out loud.

Author's Note: As usual, I spent far too long on this fic, and I both regret and enjoyed it at the same time. This fic is this month's entry for the @briarvalleyarchives. The prompt was "Anthems of Old," and I really wanted to do that justice. I ended up losing motivation for this fic multiple times during various parts of the process. It was so bad that I ended up publishing another fic inspired but this month's prompt before this-

Originally, I wanted to try writing a fic for Colors of the Wind, but then I very quickly realized that I had no idea what I wanted to write, so then I switched to I Won't Say (I'm In Love).

I'm glad that I finally finished this, and it is very much safe to say that Måneskin helped me push through. T-T

Thank you for reading!

[bitethedustfools]

TWST Story Idea (13)

Warning: Spoiler

We are all aware that Yuu did not speak too much, and if they do, whatever dialogue Yuu picked, the result is still the same. Yuu will still get strung along and deal with the troubles and the overblots.

One may not think much of the part they play, merely a person that talks on the other side of a screen where the characters wouldn't heard you.

However, small and worthless as it looked, Yuu's words and existence are significant enough to push the story we all know.

Without Yuu, Grim will never attend NRC. Ace will not go to Ramshackle Dorm and consider Yuu's words to apologize to Riddle, nor will he have that kind of friendship with Deuce. Riddle's tyranny continued, Trey still remained the same just like Cater, and their relationship with the rest are within arm's reach.

Who will take the role of an investigator when there are accidents during the Spelldrive Tournament and foil the Savanaclaw plan?

Who will save them from the repercussions of striking a deal with Azul? Jamil succeeds in going through his plan and reaching his goal but not without a cost. Nobody will be able to return Vil's appearance back to normal if Malleus were not invited. The same goes for the rest.

That is the world without Yuu. Only if Yuu exists will the story move forward where everyone is saved and has come to peace with their issues even if the first meeting wasn't that great.

However, that does not mean everything will turn out okay if Yuu exists. It's all about their personality and how the people favor them.

Everything turned out to be even worse than ever if the others dislike Yuu, who is indifferent, or Yuu has the aura and personality that people immediately hated them on first sight.

There's something irritating when they were looking at Yuu. Something that caused them to loathe Yuu even though Yuu hasn't done something that garnered their unreasonable hatred. Plenty of people here are villainous in some traits, from tyranny down to pure selfishness.

However, although Yuu had not shown these traits, one can agree that Yuu is simply… dislikeable.

Just that feeling alone, and they avoided Yuu. Some mocked them, but Yuu did not take it to heart.

Yuu does not understand how they are disliked. They mind their own business, mindful of others, and only joining when it needs to. Yuu tried to be considerate and laying low. It's people's fault who are refusing to understand them.

Grim was not as close, preferring to look down at Yuu and make them work. Ace and Deuce were not Yuu's friends; the statue did not burn nor did the expensive chandelier ever fall down. Ace merely mocked Yuu and passed by as they swept the floor, and Yuu never met Deuce.

Yuu is alone during break time, and Trey and Cater never get to know them. Maybe Trey did send pitiful glances, but that's it. There's no need to get involved if you don't know them.

Riddle, however, knew Yuu but only by face and a title "magicless janitor". He got a worst impression of Yuu during the ceremony, and they never talk to each other after that.

Yuu and Grim were never present during the unbirthday party; the Mont Blanc was never made, and no one knew about Riddle's issue of how he came to be a tyrant.

Nevertheless, overblot happened, and it went downhill.

There were deaths and the wounded, and the hierarchy changed. Trey became the 'Queen of Heart', and Cater his right-hand man card soldier. Trey blamed himself and the people that contribute to Riddle's overblot which then bred dissonance and defiance amongst the card soldiers.

The dorm known for its countless rules became lawless; anarchy became the norm.

Yuu did not bother. As sad as it was, it was not their business which making people capable of sympathy dislike and avoid them even further. Yuu is a magicless janitor after all; it was also their job to clean up, and Yuu can't afford to feel when he's busy working.

Spelldrive tournament still continued, and most of the greatest players in Heartslabyul Dorm joining the tournament were almost non existent. The accidents of people falling and accidentally hurt themselves still happened and Yuu, despite being a janitor, was asked to investigate and found nothing due to people being uncooperative.

Nothing was done to oppose the plan Savanaclaw came up with. Although the intended target is not affected, many were still injured during the stampede. No one was able to point out the culprit behind this.

But still, overblot occurred before the audience, and on the screen across the world the moment Savanaclaw lost to Diasomnia.

Leona was saved after that in just a matter of time, but he was ashamed. Not because he was thinking of Malleus' downfall and Malleus had saved him despite everything, but rather because he was being exposed to the world. The eyes of his lackeys that trusted his words lost its gleams, and Leona was alone.

He is but an undignified cub unworthy of the throne.

He tarnished the school name and the royalty. He did not become a king, nor did he become part of the family, and instead, he was expelled from school and banished from his pride, never to be seen again.

That is the only mercy they can give, to let him run and live. But they will not forget what they cannot forgive.

The housewarden position remained absent. Lying became unacceptable. Selfishness and unruliness grew. Despite that, they are all a pack and they don't need a king at all.

Ruggie had to resort to scamming and stealing others' food, and Jack's sense of justice wavered at the sight. The scale slowly leaned towards a grey area, and before long, Jack found himself unbothered by the mess around him.

Gradually, once everything stabilized, the exam month arrived, and almost all students got caught in a net that Azul threw strategically. Grim was no exception. He made a deal with him about something, and Yuu could have left him behind, but Grim was vital, so Yuu had no choice but to save him.

Yuu saved only Grim, no one else.

They got off rather easily with a few challenges here and there, and Azul did not overblot, but plenty of students either dropped from fatigue or developed resentment to the point of overblotting. Naturally, everything comes to light.

Yuu did not bat an eye why Azul was forbidden to do business and anything that required him to steal everyone's power. Unfortunately, Azul does not react well. Forbidding him all of these means his power is taken away.

He instantly overblotted. Nobody is able to fight back as Azul was stronger from all the power he stole. But using those powers eventually leads to getting his life force drained, and that's what happened.

It does not end there sadly. Although Yuu was not dragged into the future overblots and the mess that comes with it, Yuu was still involved in cleaning the aftermath.

[the-broken-truth]

If You Have A Viper Boyfriend - Jamil Viper [Female Yuu]

Summary: Things to expect with Jamil Viper being your boyfriend.

Note: Yuu and Jamil are the same age (17 - Yuu's Birthday Passed) but Yuu is still a First-Year.

If You Have A Viper Boyfriend: Be Prepared To Have Meals Cooked For You.

"Jamil, I thought you were coming here to relax, not doing more work than you already do in Scarabia." Yuu said as she looked up from her phone to watch her boyfriend cooking in the Ramshackle Kitchen - he was supposed to be relaxing during his time here, not doing more work.

"It's not work taking care to make sure that you have a decent mean, My Desert Rose; what kind of boyfriend would I be if I neglected your well-being and nourishment?" Jamil asked as he kept his eyes on the food cooking in the skillet before him.

"My Viper, I told you that I could make something myself, I am certain that I have something in my fridge I could have made myself, so you could relax properly." Yuu said but Jamil silenced her with a glare from his dark silver eyes - silently telling her not to go there or he was going to nag her.

"My Desert Rose, your fridge is filled with Microwave Meals or Frozen Foods; there is nothing in your cabinets other than sugary snacks. I refuse to allow you to neglect your health with this poor diet. Now, sit there and let me make you a decent meal." Jamil said before turning back to the meat cooking in the skillet.

Yuu pouts before settling in her seat and looking at her phone with the Grim relaxing on her head while thinking about all the food Jamil was making in the kitchen; his very stomach started growling.

A while later, Jamil walked out of the kitchen holding serving platters of food before setting the table with different types of food from the Land of Scalding Sands before taking a seat right next to her; Grim floated off Yuu's head to a spot further down the table to give the couple some space, Yuu placed her phone on the table before she and Jamil said a prayer to the Great Seven before they started eating and telling each other about their days.

If it's Friday, Jamil will stay over to make Yuu a fulfilling breakfast before returning to Scarabia to tend to Kalim.

If it's a normal weekday, Jamil will make more than the normal amount of food and store it away in containers for Yuu and Grim to eat on later days - he wanted his rose to flourish and get stronger; he was not going to let Crowley's Neglect for his Prefect taint her for long.

If You Have A Viper Boyfriend: Get Ready For His Possessive Nature - He Doesn't Like To Share

When Yuu has classes that are shared with Jamil, he is going to be right by her side with his arm wrapped around her shoulder or her waist; showing all the other males that the Prefect of Ramshackle belonged to him and him alone.

He tolerated Ace Trappola & Deuce Spade since they were the first friends that his Desert Rose made the moment she arrived at Night Raven College. He even tolerated Jack Howl since he was more like an Older Brother to Yuu and would never make a move on her. He didn't have to worry about Sebek Zigvolt considering he never left the side of the Diasomnia Housewarden - Malleus Draconia - unless he was in classes that he didn't share with him. He was even fine with Epel hanging out with his precious diamond.

The Housewardens, on the other hand, didn't like hanging around his diamond. Not one bit.

Riddle Rosehearts would attempt to steal his diamond's time away from him by asking her to study dates or for tea parties in Heartslabyul; Jamil didn't like them hanging out because he knew Riddle had feelings for Yuu - almost everyone did.

Leona Kingscholar was rather intrusive and Jamil hated it. When Jamil would try to hang with Yuu during that the little free time they had, Kingscholar would try to ask (Demand) that Yuu made him something to eat and let him sleep in one of the vacant dorm rooms, but Jamil will turn him around and tell to fuck off, but in more...refined words.

Jamil loathed Azul and the Leech Twins and there was no way in hell that he was going to leave his desert rose around them. Azul had a bad habit of joking around with Yuu, saying that he was going to get her to sign a contract or get her to date him; Yuu knew he was kidding but Jamil was not having it.

In regards to Vil, the Dorm Warden of Pomefiore would try to make Yuu his personal model but Jamil was not letting that happen; Yuu already did that exhausting skin care routine every morning 2 hours before school started and Jamil hated when she neglected her rest. However, he couldn't complain much since he loved what the routine and products did for Yuu's Visage; making her shine like the Diamond she was always meant to be.

Jamil didn't have to worry about Yuu's Relationship with the Dorm Warden of Ignihyde, Idia Shroud, since they mainly just had Gaming Nights and Yuu would join his party from Ramshackle on the gaming system that Idia gifted her with on her most recent birthday. The only one he was really annoyed with was Ortho because he kept calling Yuu his 'Big Sister'; Jamil knew that Ortho wanted Yuu to be with Idia, but he was not going to let that happen. Yuu [L/N] was HIS DESERT ROSE & DIAMOND. No one was going to take her away from him. Ever.

Regarding Malleus Draconia, also known as 'Tsunotarou' to Yuu, Jamil had to watch him. Malleus had shown interest in Yuu, but the Prince of the Blair Valley respected her and her choices. When Yuu expressed her love for Jamil, Malleus understood and accepted her decision, but made it clear that he would wait for her. He was willing to wait an eternity, but Jamil was determined to keep Yuu by his side.

To make a long story short: Jamil Viper is a VERY POSSESSIVE MAN.

If You Have A Viper Boyfriend: Be Prepared For Late-Night Calls & Rants

"Wait... Are you seriously telling me that Kalim released all the parrots and they messed up the dorm?" Yuu asked Jamil on the other side of her phone, telling her about what Kalim had done at dinner before everyone went to bed.

"Yes! This is the 4th time this has happened this week! I don't understand why he continues to leave the Parrot Cage Doors open!"

"I am sorry that you have been going through this, My Viper; you have better things to do rather than constantly cleaning up Kalim's Messes. Honestly, I don't see why that walking ball of sunshine was even enrolled here; I think he would have been better at Royal Sword Academy. If that happened, you would have been placed in the position you deserve." Yuu said as she pinched the bridge of her nose

"My Diamond, why do you sound so annoyed?"

"Because I am, Jamil. I have been watching you run around, tending to everything around Scarabia and the School just to make sure everything is decent and in order; it's clear that you deserve the Dorm Warden Position since you do all the work. All Kalim knows how to do is throw parties and make trouble for you, which annoys me. He reminds me so much of my brother..." Yuu growled in a whisper, but Jamil still heard it.

"I remember you telling me about your younger brother, but you never told me about him or your family from your Original World."

"I am the eldest child in my family, and my parents were quite lazy in their parenting. I had to constantly tend to their needs, and it was rather exhausting. My youngest brother was always causing trouble, and it was annoying to clean up after him. He was a constant headache, and Kalim reminds me so much of him. I don't want to take out my frustration with my brother on Kalim, but I really wish he would be more responsible in his position and take care of himself without someone holding his hand." Yuu explained.

"I see. Now, I understand why you are so annoyed with Kalim and his actions."

"It's not fair to you, My Love. You do all the work, the position of Dorm Warden should be yours, but that bastard Crowley placed Kalim as Dorm Warden just because of his status as a Heir. If I had the power, Kalim would be demoted and you would be placed on the throne, just as you deserve." Yuu snarled.

"Even after everything I have done?"

"You were pushed to the edge, Jamil! You had reached your limit with Kalim's Antics and you did what you could to right the wrongs done to you! You shouldn't have to suppress your shine just because of the station you were born into! I have that kind of thing!" Yuu hissed.

"My Diamond... Please, calm yourself."

"I'm sorry, My Viper, I... I just..." Yuu tried to find the right words but Jamil found them for her.

"I know. You love me and you want what is best for me; I know if you had the power, you would place me as Dorm Warden. Kalim is still learning, but he is getting better; just give him some time. I was just annoyed about the parrots."

"It's still not fair to you, My Love." Yuu exhaled.

"I am aware. Thank you for loving me so much."

"I will always love you. That will never change."

"What about when you return to your Original World?"

"I'm not going back."

"Pardon?"

"I am not going back to my Original World. I'm staying in Twisted Wonderland, by your side, Jamil."

"You are willing to give up your homeland...for me?"

"Without question."

"Yuu... Will you marry me after graduation? Will you come to the Land of Scalding Sands with me and become Yuu Viper?"

Yuu smiled, "Yes."

If You Have A Viper Boyfriend: Be Prepared For Future Plans Be Made In The Present

"A Vacation?" Yuu asked as she sat across from Jamil, he poured her a cup of tea before placing the pot back on the serving tray beside him and sitting across from her as they played Mancala.

"Considering our conversation a few nights ago, I was thinking it would be better if we went on vacation after graduation before we returned to the Land of Scalding Sands and got married; our moments alone before we became linked in marriage." Jamil said before sipping some of the tea in his hand.

"I like that idea, going on a vacation before we get married; are your parents alright with that?" Yuu asked as she sipped her tea.

"I have spoken to my parents and my sister, they are currently holding on to the funding for our trip and will give it to us after we graduate. As for the ring and paperwork, I managed to get them to send it over earlier the previous day." Jamil said, making Yuu raise her eyebrow.

"You alright got the Marriage Certificate & an Engagement Ring in a matter of days?" Yuu asked.

"I know I was rather rash in getting the ring and paperwork so fast, but I was overly excited. If you don't want to sign the certificate or wear the ring, I will hold onto them until you are ready and..." Jamil was cut off by Yuu.

"Where are the certificate and ring? I'll sign it now." Yuu declared, causing Jamil to blush. From the seriousness in Yuu's Voice, Jamil stood up, walked over to the drawer, opened it, and pulled out a paper and ring box before walking back to his original spot and sitting down before giving it to Yuu.

Yuu looked over the certificate and asked Jamil to give her his pen - he did as she asked without question and signed her name & information in the blank spaces on the certificate before handing it back to Jamil; Jamil looked at the paperwork with a blush on his face - she was serious about being with him forever.

"I... I will send this back to my parents to hold on to it for us and...we can get married whenever you are prepared after our vacation." Jamil smiled at Yuu.

"I'm completely okay with that, however, keep in mind that I am going to start calling you my husband, from now on." Yuu smiled at him.

Jamil smiled at her before reaching down beside him and opening the box - the ring was a golden viper snake with rubies for eyes; he pulled the ring out, grabbed Yuu's left hand, and slid the ring on her ring finger while looking into her eyes.

"As long as I can call you 'my wife', My Viperess." Jamil purred before he leaned in and kissed Yuu - sealing their relationship and Fiance & Fiancee.

If You Have A Viper Boyfriend: Be Prepared To Deal With His Fear With A Swiftness

"GET AWAY! GET AWAY! DON'T COME NEAR ME!!!" Jamil screamed as he waved a knife at the roach that was slowly crawling towards him - he was in Ramshackle to prepare dinner for their date night (Grim was staying at Heartslabyul with Ace and Deuce) and a roach came in through the open window and started crawling towards him.

The front door opened and Jamil called out, "YUU! MY VIPERESS! MY LOVE! THERE'S AN INTRUDER IN HERE! SAVE ME, PLEASE!!"

Without hesitation, Yuu went into the kitchen with her portable can of bug killer and sprayed the bug dead, before getting a napkin and threw the bug's corpse in the trash outside of the kitchen. Yuu went to the bathroom and washed her hands before returning to her Fiance's Side, where she was coiled in his arms and nuzzled his face in her neck.

"Thank you, My Love. You always come at the right time whenever I need you." Jamil said as he continued to hold his Future Wife while Yuu wrapped her arms around Jamil and stroked his back.

"I will always be there whenever you need me, My Love; never forget that" Yuu smiled.

"Can I make you a dessert to thank you with?" Jamil asked.

"Only if you allow me to oil your hair and take care of Kalim for 3 days while you relax." Yuu spoke.

Jamil sighed, "What have I done to deserve you, My Diamond?"

"You exist and I somehow ended up in Twisted Wonderland." Yuu said.

"Sometimes... I think the Great Seven brought you here for me..." Jamil said.

"And I thank them for that." Yuu smiled.

[END]

[twistedminutia]

A Million and One Minutia: Cartography

The Scarabia students and Gray discuss maps and geography. (Read the previous chapters here: Ch. 1 Ch. 2 Ch. 3 Ch. 4 Ch. 5 and cross posted to AO3 here)

“Gray! You’ve got to try this, okay? You’ll love it!” Kalim scoots even closer to my side, thrusting some sort of meat and vegetable dish wrapped in bread toward me.

“You know, Kalim, I’m okay,” I say. As I gently push the bowl away, my gaze wanders across the Scarabia lounge. Jamil is watching us, gaze as burning as the desert sun that sweeps through the Scarabia dorm’s… zone? Pocket dimension? I’m not clear on exactly how these spaces exist.

“Aw, you’ve barely eaten anything,” Kalim complains, face falling. “Are you sick?” His expression grows alarmed. “Jamil! Where’s the first aid kit?”

“I’m not sick!” I sputter, waving a hasty hand at Jamil, who’s dutifully heaving himself up from his sitting position against a pillar. His gaze sweeps over me assessingly before he slouches back down and stares into the distance. I take the food Kalim is offering, but don’t eat it.

I didn’t want to go to Scarabia. I’m not even sure why I’m here now. It hasn’t been that long since Jamil’s overblot- long enough for him to recover, at least, but not long enough for me to be totally comfortable in the place I was held hostage. But Kalim’s a force of nature when he wants something, and he insisted Grim and I come back for a ‘proper party.’

Reading between the lines, I think the whole thing is supposed to be an apology, both for the ‘held hostage’ thing and the ‘overblot’ thing. In total, I actually think I’ve gotten six apologies from Kalim so far. I barely wanted the first one, several boxes of Scalding Sands sweets, but I accepted them graciously. Kalim apparently took that as an invitation, though, and sent several more gifts my way, including several items of Scalding Sands attire and a small jewelry set that probably costs more than Ramshackle. In theory, I could sell them and pocket the pretty penny they would surely fetch for myself. But the idea of having to look into Kalim’s face when he finds I sold his gifts makes my heart wrench, so now I just have some stupidly expensive items hanging out in my closet.

The party invitation was extended with every gift. I managed to wriggle my way out of it several times, making apologetic eye contact with Jamil, who was always hanging out a few feet behind Kalim, looking like he was sucking on a lemon. Or maybe trying to stab Kalim with his gaze alone.

Unfortunately, I’ve never been super good at turning anyone down. And when Kalim finally brought the full force of his big, sappy eyes to bear, practically clutching at my hands and pleading, well. What was I supposed to do?

Refuse, is the answer. Refuse, because now I’m in the middle of some of the thickest tension I’ve ever felt and one half of the problem seems completely unaware of it. Even Grim seems to have picked up on it, though he’s ignoring it by eating. Alas, my own appetite is gone and I don’t have that luxury.

“Do you want to dance?” Kalim offers, sticking out a hand.

“Oh, I don’t dance,” I say with an awkward half-laugh. This is true- I have the inherent grace of a drunken camel.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Everyone can dance! You just have to move your body to the music! Don’t think about it too much!” Kalim performs some kind of quick dance move involving a lot of kicking and spinning. It’s not something I could ever imitate without falling flat on my ass. When I still don’t move to join him, Kalim gets a thoughtful look.

“I know! Jamil can teach you. He’s great at dancing!” He waves an arm and Jamil gets up once again to walk over.

“Oh, you know, I don’t really think that’s necessary,” I say, but Jamil’s already made the short walk over to us.

“Do you need something, Kalim?” he asks with a put-upon weariness. Kalim barely seems to notice.

“Gray doesn’t know how to dance, and you’re so good, I thought you could teach her!” He beams at Jamil. “You’re always an amazing teacher with me!”

“It’s fine,” I insist. “You don’t have to do anything.”

Jamil sighs, his side-bang-hair-thing swinging and partially obscuring his face. “Do you want to learn how to dance?”

“Um,” I say, looking back and for the between Jamil and Kalim. “Not really.”

Jamil shrugs. “Then you don’t have to.” He seems somewhere between bored and annoyed by the whole situation.

“W-well,” Kalim says, looking a little upset by the turn the situation is taking, “what do you want to do?”

I don’t say anything for a moment, because my honest answer would be ‘leave.’ I don’t like it in Scarabia- the red and gold decorations kind of unsettle me, and I always feel awful for imposing upon Jamil, who clearly doesn’t want me to be here either. But Kalim also seems borderline frantic to apologize- I get the sense he can’t stand when people are upset, but also isn’t very good at understanding why they’re upset, or how to fix it. And if I don’t at least look like I’m having a good time, I think that’s only going to make it worse for him. So, find something that Jamil doesn’t need to put effort into that’ll appease Kalim…

“I’d like to hear about the Scalding Sands!” The words sort of just burst out of me, the first idea I settle upon. But it’s a good one, I think- the best lies are born out of a grain of truth, and I do want to learn more about the different places in Twisted Wonderland. My Heartslabyul friends are more than happy to tell me all about the Queendom of Roses, excepting Cater, and Jack’s spoken about his part of the Shaftlands on occasion. Even Azul and the twins have let little bits about the Coral Sea slip, though I don’t dare ask anything to directly, since they’ll certainly demand recompense for the info. The only other way to learn is through textbooks, and they’re informative, but a bit dry. Nothing like an actual local perspective.

Fortunately, Kalim seems to immediately perk up at the idea. He drops down to sit next to me, legs casually crossed. After a moment, Jamil does the same, slower and more deliberately. “Sure! What do you want to know?” Kalim chirps.

“Whatever you want to tell. It’s not like I’ve ever been there before.”

Kalim tilts his head back, thoughtful. “It’s a really great place! Jamil and I live in the capital city, and it’s got huge markets and beautiful buildings. Our hometown is known for tons of exports, like our silk! You remember I showed you some? The peacock blue?”

I nod. He tried to thrust some at me as another present and Jamil and I had to talk him back out of it. What am I going to do with massive bolts of silks anyway, sew them into incredibly ugly dresses?

“You should come visit some time!” Kalim says, barreling on with enthusiasm. “You could see the markets and meet my family- I’m sure my siblings would be thrilled to meet you.”

“That’s really not necessary,” I say, glancing over at Jamil who has a look of ‘absolutely the fuck not’ on his face. “Er, your siblings sound nice, though.”

“Yeah! I mean, sometimes it’s hard to keep track of them all.” Kalim’s expression slips and he looks a little guilty. “But they’re all really sweet! I try to look out for them as their big brother.” He fixes me with a curious look. “What about your family? Do you have siblings?”

“I- I, uh…” The words die in my throat. What am I supposed to say? Does it count as having siblings, still, if they’re in another world? If I never see them again? If, for all intents and purposes, they’re basically dead?

But if I’m the one in another world, doesn’t that make me the dead one?

“Kalim,” Jamil says, voice surprisingly sharp. “She doesn’t want to talk about that.”

“What? But why-” Kalim’s eyes widen as a look of horror sweeps over his face. “I’m so sorry! I forgot!”

“Don’t, uh. Make a big deal about it,” I mumble. Grim abandons his food to scamper over, standing in front of me almost defensively.

“The Great Grim doesn’t have any siblings,” he huffs indignantly. “They’re overrated.” He moves just close enough for me to run my fingers through his fur like a fuzzy stress ball.

Jamil snorts under his breath, mouth twitching into the slightest hint of a smirk.

“You mentioned having a sister, didn’t you, Jamil?” I say, casting around to get the spotlight off me. Kalim still looks like I told him Santa doesn’t exist. Not that they believe in Santa here anyway.

He narrows his eyes a little, but says, “Yes. Najma. She’s younger than I am. And a pain.”

“Aren’t little sisters always,” I say. My fingers tighten around Grim’s fur and he yelps at me. “Whoops, sorry.” I offer him some of my meat-wrap-thing and he takes it. “So, uh, you guys live in the Land of the Scalding Sands, huh? This place must feel like home to you.” I gesture to the blazing sun and sandy scenery.

“Yeah,” Kalim says, still looking kind of kicked-puppy-esque. “My dad had the dorm renovated when I got in, but it was still like the Scalding Sands before that.”

“That’s because the Scalding Sands is the land from which the Sorcerer of the Sands hailed,” Jamil says. “And as the dorm based off of his spirit, we live in similar conditions. Like Octavinelle’s dorm being underwater, since the Sea Witch was merfolk.”

I nod, though I haven’t quite got a grasp on how the dorms are made. They’re apparently some kind of pocket dimensions, which opens up a whole new can of worms- How do pocket dimensions work? Are they common, or is this something only a famous school would have the resources to do? Is there some way of controlling the climate of the dorm, or even the weather? If this is a pocket dimension, is the sky real? The sun and the moon and stars exist here, and they seem to be in the same position as the ones on campus- are they projections?

“What are you thinking about?” Kalim asks. “You’ve got a really serious look on your face! Like Jamil gets sometimes!”

“Nothing in particular,” I say. Kalim probably won’t know the answers to my questions, and Jamil can get kind of annoyed if you ask something he considers to be a dumb question, and I have no idea whether my questions are dumb or not. “Er, is the Land of the Scalding Sands far from here?”

“Um, I don’t think so!” Kalim says at the exact same time Jamil says, “Pretty far.” They look at each other.

Jamil sighs. “Have you even paid any attention in your geography lessons? The Scalding Sands are about as far away from Sage Island as you can get without venturing out of the known world.”

As he’s speaking, he flicks his magic pen and a map unrolls in front of me. I lean forward, almost dislodging a half-asleep Grim from my lap. He grouses for a moment before leaning over the map as well. “Here we are,” Jamil says, tapping a tiny little island toward the middle portion of the map. I’ve seen the maps a few times in history class, so it’s not entirely unfamiliar to me. I recognize the Queendom of Roses on sight, a small land mass that’s vaguely shaped like a rose itself, with an archipelago next to it. Jamil draws his magic pen down, past the Land of Dawning, away from the Kingdom of Heroes and roughly between the Shaftlands and the Sunset Savannah. He stops roughly southwest of the Sunset Savannah and taps that spot a few times. “The Land of the Scalding Sands is about here.”

“Oh, huh,” Kalim says. “It doesn’t feel that far away when we’re just taking mirror portals!”

“No,” Jamil sighs, long-suffering. “It wouldn’t.”

I study the map for a little longer. Admittedly, history of magic tends to focus on specific locations, so we see more zoomed-in maps than this full one, but now that I’m really focusing on it, sometimes strikes me as odd. “Is this a map of the whole planet?”

“Most of it,” Jamil says. “There are a couple smaller island nations that mapmakers don’t always bother to note, since they so often change hands, and the only Fae land this map takes note of is Briar Valley, though there are other, smaller areas, like Faerieland, with their own culture and rulers. And the Land of Red Dragons isn't on here, either, possibly because it's on the other side of the world.” He rubs his chin. “And there are the unknown lands, but mapmakers don’t typically bother to document those anyway.”

“Wait,” I say. “The unknown lands?”

“I know about those!” Kalim cuts in, and Jamil backs off with an irritated huff. “It’s all the land that’s yet to be mapped. My dad told me stories about them when I was a kid, off all the people who went off in search of treasure. I had a book about them, too, called The Undiscovered Lands! Jamil and I would pretend to be explorers, searching for treasure or lost civilizations!”

“There are undiscovered lands? How much of the world is undiscovered?” I ask.

“I dunno. It’s undiscovered,” Kalim says. “We wouldn’t know how much there is if no one’s discovered it before, right?”

It’s pretty sound logic, admittedly. Though Jamil cuts in as soon as Kalim is done speaking. “People used math in the past to figure out how big Twisted Wonderland is altogether. We don’t know how much land there is exactly, but the current estimate is that about twenty-five percent of Twisted Wonderland is currently unmapped, based on the size of the land we do know about compared to what we don’t know.”

“I’m sorry, twenty-five percent? A full quarter?” I repeat, a bit aghast. “But- but you have magic! How have you not fully mapped the world out yet?”

“No one has perfect mapmaking magic,” Jamil says, as if that’s an obvious fact I should have known and not another nonsensical limitation of magic. “Not unless they’re in the location, and even then, it’s limited. No one could just map faraway lands that they’ve never even seen before.”

“Sure, maybe, but you have teleportation magic. Couldn’t you just teleport there and make a map?”

Jamil looked like he was barely resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “Teleportation isn’t simple magic. Even Malleus’ proficiency with the skill doesn’t let him do whatever he wants. It’s difficult to teleport to an area you’ve never been before, and even more difficult to do so over long distances. Even to get from the edges of the Shifting Sands to the unknown lands would be a feat for your average mage.”

“Uh huh,” I say, processing that as best I can manage. Who’s Malleus? Am I supposed to know who that is? The name sounds vaguely familiar…Oh, he’s the housewarden of Diasomnia, right? Leona mentioned him during the spelldrive tournament, too. I’ve never even seen the guy, though everyone speaks about him in tones equally reverent and terrified.

“My dad always said the unknown lands are dangerous,” Kalim says. “They’re supposed to be full of monsters.”

“Monsters?” I repeat. Grim perks up, ears swiveling toward Kalim, though he’s strangely silent.

Jamil nods. “Supposedly. Though there are those who would disagree and say that the idea of monsters lurking out there is a childhood story.”

“I think it’s true, though,” Kalim adds. “My dad said he knew someone who tried to go on an expedition there, and he asked for money from a lot of the richest people in the Scalding Sands. Dad didn’t give him a loan, though.” Kalim’s face fell. “I always thought that was a shame.” His expression swapped straight back to his usually cheerful grin. “If he’d asked me, I totally would have given him money!”

“And that would have been a bad idea,” Jamil huffs, “because his expedition was a complete disaster and there was no return on investment at all.”

Kalim’s expression falls again. “Yeah, but maybe if he had gotten more money it wouldn’t have ended like that… Also, it’s good to help someone out if they need it, you know?”

Jamil’s clearly trying not to roll his eyes once more, but I’m more focused on something else. “What happened to the expedition?”

“The same thing that happens to all the other expeditions into the unknown lands,” Jamil says matter-of-factly. “They don’t come back, or they come back in tatters, barely able to speak about what they saw.”

“Why?” I ask.

“Monsters!” Kalim says cheerfully. Jamil sighs.

“We don’t know it’s monsters. Most people aren’t able to give clear accounts of what they saw- at least, the ones that come back alive enough to speak.” Jamil shakes his head. “But Kalim is right that most people seem to believe it’s monsters.”

“Ha!” Grim cackles, perking up for the first time since the conversation began. “We monster are pretty tough. No wonder you pidly human mages aren’t up for the job.” He blows a small fireball into the air, as if to demonstrate. “If I didn’t hold back my magical prowess, then there’s no way any of you could stand up against the Great Grim!”

Jamil smirks. “I doubt that’s the case. After all, the only reason people believe there are monsters in the unknown lands is because they were all driven out over a thousand years ago.”

I expect Grim to make some smartass comment about that, but he falls silent. He looks genuinely startled by that bit of information. “Driven out?” I ask when it’s clear he’s not going to be asking anything else about the topic at hand.

“There are a lot of stories about those times, too,” Kalim says. “People and monsters fought over land, but eventually, people got the upper hand and drove monsters out of their territory, all the way to the unknown lands. But now the monsters try to get revenge for being ousted- so if you set foot outside of the settled lands or if you even hear something lurking in the dark, then be careful! It might be monster coming for revenge!” He lurches at me and Grim, hands curled into claws, and gives the most adorable puppy-dog growl I’d ever heard in my life.

I stare at him. Grim, similarly unphased, does the same. “Was that supposed to be scary or something?”

Kalim huffs and slumps back to the ground. “I did that all the time with my kid siblings and they loved it…”

“Yes, well. The stories are meant to keep little kids in line,” Jamil says. “Don’t wander too far from home, or a monster will get you. That sort of thing.” His gaze moves to Grim. “And there are monsters that still sometimes end up in the settled lands- usually small and harmless ones, though.”

Grim puffs up. “Who’re you callin’ harmless?” A little puff of fire accentuates his words.

“Aww, no one thinks you’re harmless, Grim!” Kalim says with oblivious good nature. Grim looks even more insulted by that.

What even is a monster, I wonder, as Grim spits irritably at Kalim. Everybody talks about them- Grim was pretty easily labeled a monster or some sort of dire beast when he arrived at NRC. But the term is sort of nebulously defined. What makes something a monster? Humans aren’t monsters, obviously, and neither are merfolk or beastmen.  But Fae don’t seem to be considered monsters either, even though they’re clearly seen as ‘different.’ Is it just the fact that Fae and beastmen and the like are all humanoid, so they get a pass? Or maybe it’s that monsters don’t talk- except Grim does talk, and no one seems to think that disqualifies him as a monster. Or maybe it just makes him a very strange monster, but a monster nonetheless, like how a talking cat is still a cat and not suddenly a human. But if most monsters don’t talk and don’t look like people, then what makes them any different from animals? Are they more aggressive? Smarter? Magically inclined?

“Are you okay, Gray?” I blink and Kalim’s face is suddenly like an inch and a half from mine. “You got spacey for a second there!”

“Uh, yeah. I’m fine. Just thinking.” Nobody really talks about monsters here, not like they talk about magic. I suppose I could try to ask Grim, but he doesn’t seem aware of anything outside of the fact that he is a monster. It seems rude to bother him about it. “So you guys really have no idea what exists on a quarter of your planet?”

Jamil shrugs. “I take it that’s unusual for you.”

“Pretty much everything was explored in my world,” I say. “Okay, not everything everything- there are probably jungles that people haven’t explored, or islands we don’t really know anything about, but all the major land masses have been pretty much mapped out.”

“That sounds really cool, to have everything mapped out,” Kalim says. He perks up, practically rounding on Jamil. “Maybe once we graduate, we could go exploring!”

Jamil’s expression barely pauses at annoyance before heading straight into alarmed. “Wh- Kalim, no!”

“We’ll be powerful mages,” Kalim insists. “And I’m sure we can get other people to go with us! There are a lot of powerful mages here! We could form a team!”

“Plenty of powerful teams have gone and not come back,” Jamil all but pleads. “Kalim, this is a ridiculous idea.”

“I bet exploring these lands would be a good way to show off my magic skills,” Grim muses, practically to himself. “And ‘Great Explorer Grim’ has a ring to it.” He pumps a paw in the air. “I’m in!” Kalim beams at him.

Jamil massages a hand over his forehead. “You know they’re only going to talk about it for a while and forget about it in a few weeks,” I offer.

“Yes. But meanwhile I’ve got to clean up after any impulsive moves Kalim makes in the meantime.” He massages harder at his temple.

“You don’t have to,” I say. “Kalim’s got no idea about how hard anything is because you’re always taking care of all the consequences for him.”

“That’s my job. I’m supposed to make sure nothing happens to him,” Jamil says, shooting me an annoyed look. “Besides, if anything bad happens to Kalim, he’s not the one who suffers the consequences, no matter what I do.”

“When you were at home, yeah. But you’re at school now, and I don’t think Kalim’s going to rat you out. I’m not suggesting you just ditch him completely. But I think he could stand to remember to bring his own textbooks to class once in a while or help you with cooking. Seriously. Don’t you want less work?”

Jamil ‘tch’es quietly. I can’t tell if he’s agreeing or just privately thinks my idea is stupid. Hard to tell, with him. He’s got kind of a weird inferiority superiority complex. Maybe I made things worse by bringing it up, but at least I’ve said my piece.

Dealing with guys steeped in three layers of emotional issues is hard enough without them potentially becoming big ink monsters. I’ve had enough of those to last a lifetime, but I’ve given up on hoping it won’t happen again.

I don’t know if it can happen a second time to someone, but if I can head it off at the pass, well. That seems like a good idea to me.

“Grim,” I call out. He perks his ears at me, pausing in his planning with Kalim. “We should probably get going.”

“What?” Kalim says, dismayed. “So soon?”

“We’ve been here for hours,” I point out. “Grim and I should probably walk back before it starts getting dark.” It’s just before sunset, from the positioning of the sun, and while we probably have a while before it actually gets dark, I want to leave as soon as possible. I’ve seen the sunset here a couple of times, and the way the light goes gold and red with the already gold and red decorations of the dorm is unsettling to me- makes me feel like there’s fire around me.

“At least stay for dinner!” Kalim insists. “Or maybe we could even have a sleepover!”

“I don’t want to sleep over here.” The words tumble out fast, faster than my mind really even processes them. Kalim blinks once. Jamil turns his head away, arms folded. His long bang-thing obscures most of his face from my view, but his mouth is set in an unhappy line. “I- sorry. The ghosts at Ramshackle, you know, they miss us if we’re not around and I just sleep better in my own bed, and school’s starting soon and all, and I’d like to study and all my books are back at Ramshackle anyway, so-” Stop talking! The more excuses you give, the less believable they are!

“See? Gray has plenty of reasons to go back to her dorm,” Jamil cuts in smoothly. “And it’s unbecoming of a party host to keep a guest who wants to leave.”

“Okay,” Kalim sighs. “Oh, but maybe we could use the flying carpet to take you guys back! It’d be quicker!”

“Uh, no. I think Grim and I could walk.” Or, I’ll walk. If we have to go long distances, I usually end up carrying him. And for Grim, a long distance is anything more than a walk between classes. After my crash landing, flying on the carpet makes me nervous. Even if Kalim is certainly better at steering it than I was.

Kalim dithers for a moment, watching me with big eyes before going, “All right.” He’s oblivious a lot of the time, but I think even he can pick up that I’m uncomfortable. “If you’re not going to stay, maybe you could take some food? We have plenty!”

“Yeah!” Grim says before I can open my mouth. “I’m always down for some grub!”

“I’ll get some containers,” Jamil says, and whisks off to the kitchens.

I end up with so many containers that Grim has to trot beside me on the way back to our dorm. Kalim and Jamil wave us off, with Kalim insisting we return soon. I make no promises, though I’m sure we’ll bump into each other. I’ve been pretty poor at avoiding the previous overblotters. But at least Kalim is nice, and after everything I’ve been through, I think having to endure some parties isn’t the worst thing in the world.

Read the next chapter here.

[return-to-twisted-wonderland]

🔆anon

Grim made it into the school a while ago. He was a bit late, but he didn’t think that would mean anything much with how great he was. And he was kind of right, they accepted him in, but now he wasn’t sure if Night Raven was the best school he could have gone too.

When he first came in, he was squacked at by a random black bird. It absolutely refused to leave him alone, following him like some siren. The noise only attracted a child who grabbed him and pulled him into a hug. The kid, who Grim now knows is Canis, didn’t listen to any orders he gave, just giving him a hug and calling him “Stone”. He tried to insist he should be called The Great Grim, or at least Grim, but the kid didn’t stop. Though, by sheer luck, the noise of the argument and the continued squawking attracted the schools headmage.

To be honest, the headmage wasn’t much better than Canis. He tried to shoo Grim without a second thought. No matter the explanation, he seemed like he didn’t want to listen. It was only when Canis started whining about keeping “Stone” that Grim was allowed in, and that was visibly because the headmage just didn’t want to deal with the situation and saying no would make the child cry.

With admittance, Grim was given all that he needed, but even that was lacking. The food was good, but without any money to buy his own, he could only eat at the crowded cafeteria during the times it was serving. He was given a broken down dorm called Ramshackle where water dripped through every time there was so much as a drizzle. Even the students and teachers were gossiping how “Crowley could allow a cat in the school.” His whole experience was horrible and he only ended up with two people he could even call close to friends and that’s just because they bonded over a bad situation. Them and Canis who refused to not be around him.

Grim first met Ace and Deuce when Ace decided to mess with him. It was about to turn into a fight until Deuce came in and stopped it. That was the start of their friendship and marked how it would continue on. Even after a disaster.

The first warning sign was when Canis claimed to see a “birdie” who turned from black to red and black. Of course, no one took that seriously. Who knows if it has any meaning now, but that’s just when things started to get weird. Next was Ace getting kicked out of Heartslabyul and crashing in Ramshackle. He complained about how horrible the building was the whole time, but refused to help fix anything. Deuce had to help by being the messenger between Ace and any news from their dorm. The third warning for trouble was when Ace learned he could challenge Riddle for the seat of housewarden. He declared a challenge and immediately failed, but it set even more groundwork.

Finally Grim thought he would be done with Ace taking up space in Ramshackle when Trey said he would help bake a replacement tart for Ace to apologize. He was very much wrong in that thought. They planned to bring a replacement tart during the Unbirthday party, and with it being a party and one where Grim also wanted to go, Canis begged to be let in as well. Trey begrudgingly agreed to let them in as long as they caused no problems, even putting another dormmate, Cater, up to help watching them.

Though, according to fate, a party where a whole dorm, and even a child, is attending, is the perfect time for Housewarden Riddle to go into a freak out that turns into an overblot. There was destruction everywhere. So many people, including Grim, ended up hurt and the excess blot everywhere only made the injuries worse. Everyone in attendance was lucky that it ended to where they could be up and at it by the end of the month.

Right after the overblot, while they were still at the ruins of the party, Grim found a black stone. It smelled lovely, like sweets and flowers, and it would probably would taste good too. But right as he was about to eat it, Canis grabbed it. Grim was done at this point and demanded it back, but that lead to an argument. An argument between him and a three year old. Grim definitely should have gone to a different school. The argument attracted the attention of Ace, Deuce, and Cater. One of which took the rock from him, but he couldn’t really tell who as the headmage busted into the dorm right after claiming someone had ran away, gotten to him, and said there was an emergency. Though, he was a bit late to everything.

Grim should have picked a different school to go to. He just felt drained afterwards. He just took the time the party goers were given for recovery and slept. Though once Grim got back to normal life, Canis started mentioning seeing the same bird, but this time its feathers turned yellow and black. Grim wanted nothing to do with this.

Poor timeline two Grim. I imagine that timeline two Grim (I’ll say 2!Grim) ends up less demanding and annoying than how 1!Grim and Canon Grim are. (1!Grim acts the same way Grim does in canon.) 2!Grim is just gets fed up with everyone. He goes through every overblot and has to deal with ramshackle alone while being bothered by a kid.

At least he didn’t eat the rock.

2!Grim being done with everyone is a mood, but also good on 3y!Canis on keeping the stone away from Grim. But he also fought with a 3 y/o, so that's mildly hilarious.

[twisted-wonderland-shenanigans]

Hi I’m so sorry if your not excepting asks right now but I was just wondering how your monster Au would react to a Mc (she/her pronouns) who seems really maternal and always try’s to make sure her friends (or just anyone) id happy and well fed, but really it’s because that’s how her mother was and sense passing away that the only way she thinks they can be close again. Plus Mc not really giving herself time to greave sense coming to NRC, and from time to time breaking down silently as to try to not mimic any hurt noises. (I’m sorry if this seems strange my mother passed away recently and your Au has really made me smile, so thank you.)

I am so sorry for your loss, hun. I can’t even begin to imagine what you must be going through…

Losing someone you’re close to is never an easy thing to experience. Everyone processes their grief differently and for different lengths of time…and that’s okay. No one can tell you how long you’re supposed to grieve or tell you to get over it. You are allowed to feel the emotions you’re feeling and you are allowed to cry.

I wish I knew what more I could say at this point, and I'm sorry that this took a little bit longer for me to answer but...I wanted to do my best with it and I hope it brings you some comfort.

My inbox is always open for asks, so unless I make an announcement stating otherwise it's okay to send asks and I will do my best to answer them as quick as I can. Please enjoy, and I hope things are getting easier for you 💝

WARNING: Death mentioned, but mostly hurt/comfort.

////-----------------////

It all started with Grim.

From the day they became dorm mates it was hard for the others to not notice how Yuu doted on the smaller monster, comforting him when things got bad or he got messy or hurt. One researcher who observed this behavior theorized that Grim had activated some form of maternal instinct in Yuu, seeing the little chimera as “her own cub” as they put it. This seemed to prove true when Cheka appeared, her voice just as soft and warm when she spoke to the young prince.

Until the others began to notice how this behavior extended to them.

“Are you okay?” / “Here, I made your favorite!” / “Have you been getting enough sleep?” / “Hang on, let me get my med kit!” / “Do you need any help?”

By now everyone–student, staff, and even the researchers themselves–have heard one or more of these phrases over the past two weeks. Yuu did her best to check on everyone, focusing on anyone who seemed most in need of attention or care. Some were a little unsure of how to react to this, though for others it felt…nice to experience positive reinforcement and affection with no ulterior motive. Even those who tried to hide how they were feeling she’d somehow know and gently coax them into talking, comforting and reassuring them as best she could. It seemed as though she were a blessing sent by the Great Seven themselves!

…only, they could sense something was wrong. No one could place what it was, only that it left an instinctive urge to comfort her.

“Maybe she’s sick?” one student suggested.

“No way, she’s fine! She can’t get sick…right?”

“I dunno, man…maybe humans hide their sickness like we do?”

“Did you see what happened in Professor Trein’s class? That cat of his jumped into her lap and refused to leave her alone even when class was over!”

“No way! Really?!”

Crowley hummed with a frown as he listened to the gossiping students. It seemed even they were picking up on the same sense of unease as the staff, though it was clear they couldn’t make out what it was. He turned towards the library, recalling how Grim and the first years passing by had mentioned Yuu staying behind to finish a report. By the time he’d arrived though, he saw no sign of her anywhere.

Wondering if he had just missed her, he was about to head out and check Ramshackle…until he heard it: the unmistakable sound of quiet whimpers and sniffles. Following the sound to the source, he peered around a bookshelf and called out, “Yuu?”

The human jumped in response, her hand quickly scrubbing at her eyes–but not fast enough to stop him from seeing the tears. “O-Oh, headmaster!” she said, a pleasant smile on her face. “Did you need me for something?”

He frowned and ventured closer. “I heard from Spade and Trappola that you were in the library,” he started carefully. “Are you alright?”

“Oh, I’m fine, sir, really! I’ve just been on my feet all day and needed to sit down, that’s all.”

Ah…was this another habit she’d picked up from some of the students? Or…was this something she truly didn’t want anyone to know? Legs bending so he was ‘kneeling’ in front of her, he looked her in the eye and said, “You do not need to hide, Yuu. As headmaster of this school, it is my duty to ensure my students get the care they need…that includes you as well. I cannot help if I do not know what is wrong. So I ask you again: are you alright?”

Her smile faltered, and for a moment it looked like she was trying to think of something to say…before looking away in defeat, her expression distant. “I’m…I’m sorry.”

“Whatever for?”

“...for not being strong enough for everyone…when things are supposed to be okay here…”

Tilting his head, he said, “If that were true, you would not be hiding in the library as you are.” She said nothing, but he could see her clutching her arms a little tighter. “What you’re feeling…what you are experiencing…it goes beyond simply missing your world, doesn’t it? You are hurting from a wound that’s not physical…aren’t you?”

There it was. Her expression grew taut, shutting her eyes tight yet tears beginning to fall. Then, in a quiet voice that shook with emotion, she said, “Yes…I…back home…before I came here…my…my mom…she passed away…”

“Oh…oh dear. How did it happen?”

Slowly but surely she told him: about how warm and kind her mother was, how she always took care of everyone as best she could, and how much she loved her family. All throughout it Crowley listened patiently, allowing her to speak and moving close enough to sit beside her with a wing draped comfortingly over her shoulders when she broke down into sobs on explaining what happened to her mother. He waited patiently for her to compose herself enough to continue speaking.

He said nothing when she explained that–by taking care of everyone the way her mother would have–she could still feel close to her in some way. On hearing that the funeral was supposed to happen the day after Yuu arrived, however, his wings pulled her closer until he was hugging her close.

“I…I never got to say goodbye,” she stammered, tears flowing freely now and voice cracking with emotion. “I miss her so much…”

“Shh…it’s okay, little one. It’s okay,” he whispered, his wings shielding her from view as he consoled her. After a moment, he finally said, “Losing a loved one is never going to be an easy experience no matter your age…or your species.” Looking down, he asked, “You haven’t allowed yourself a chance to even grieve properly since arriving, have you?”

“I…I can’t…if I do…”

“It would mean accepting the truth?” he finished, to which she nodded and clutched at his vest. “...it seems as though humans and monsters grieve similarly. While I am not very…skilled with handling emotions like this, I can tell you that it is okay to grieve for as long as you need. You may be human, but you do not have to deal with this alone. The staff and I…the students…we will be here for you.” Gently running his talons through her hair, he thought for a moment before he said, “It won’t be the same��but if you wish, we may hold a service wherever you want in order to honor your mother’s memory.”

“...really?”

“Yes. Whatever you wish, I will grant it within my power. Food, decorations…even a small ceremony with your close friends or one with the staff and other dorm leaders. Just say the word, and we will make it happen for you.”

Yuu was silent. Then, in a quiet voice, she asked, “Can I think about it?”

“Of course. Take as long as you need. I’m not going anywhere.”

“...sir…?”

“Hm?”

“...thank you…”

“You’re welcome, Yuu…”

////-----------------////

I left the ending a bit more open-ended so that you could imagine whatever sort of service your Yuu would have wanted and who would have been invited to it, but just know that–despite these boys tending to be more about themselves when it comes to things happening unless forced to do something in the game, I’m sure that they would come together to help someone grieving their loss in this situation.

Again, I’m so sorry for your loss, and I know this took me a little bit to write, but I wanted to do my best with this ask. I really hope that things get easier for you and that you have a good support system to lean on. Please take care of yourself and remember: take each day one step at a time 💝

[seawater-aurelia-writing]

The Break

Pairing(s): Fem!MC/Yuu/Reader x TBD

Summary: MC finally shuts down from all of her acts of helping with overblots and the countless favors/demands that are asked of her. When the Prefect of Ramshackle is the one who needs help, who steps forward?

WARNINGS

I am not the best at labeling warnings or triggers but I can say that this story is laden with neglect, self-neglect, anxiety, possible depression and attempts to justify the above. There could be more labels that I can add but i’m unsure how to word them - so please exercise caution.

Quick Note: The reader in this story is largely based upon Cinderella, for multiple reasons (#1 being that I want to and #2 being that I absolutely love Cinderella and think she’s amazingヾ(•ω•`)o ) . If that type of character behavior annoys or offends you, I recommend skipping this!

She should have seen it coming; The break. Her break.

Her sight blurred with tears, which spilled over her eyes  quickly as she laid upon the floor of the library – cold and alone. In front of her, just out of reach, laid her phone amidst the plentiful books which laid strewn chatoticly across the floor from her harsh tumble. Her phone vibrated constantly cause M/C o flinch as she imagined the messages that must be flying across her notifications; Her friends and upperclassmen asking for favors and why she hadn’t completed what they asked.

‘I need to… get up.’ She thought to herself, willing herself to move her arms but her body was more akin to cold, ancient steel, a machine that had been abandoned and forgotten throughout time; It felt nothing like how she was a month ago, a week ago, a few hours ago. ‘ I have.. so much left to do.’

As she tried to find the will to stand – M/C thought of how she ended up in this position; body battered and bruised after falling from the top of the ladder in the deserted corner of the library.

 She could barely life her feet as she made her way down the path, back towards Ramshackle Dorm. In her arms, Grim lay curled into her chest as he slept peacefully in her arms.

‘We both had a long day.’ MC mused to herself, gently pressing his closer as the cold, wintry wind blew harder. She recounted their day slowly, going over each task they had accomplished.

Crowley wished for them to wake up earlier to remove unwanted, viney weeds from around the campus gates, Sam’s Store, and the fencing around the Flying Course field in exchange he’d give them some aid to finally repair their roof. Unable to refuse such an offer, M/C awoke at 3 am to be able to accomplish all of the weeding.

However, Grim had not woken to any of her calls or he just ignored her, leaving M/C to venture into the darkened morning on her own to do the weeding.

After 2 hours, when she was finally able to head back to Ramshackle to freshen up before breakfast, she was stopped by Vil. The Pomefiore Dorm Head all but demanded her attention for an hour  in the afternoon, her lunch period specifically, to fetch him some arctic sea water from Azul.

Vil was supposedly unable to pick up the water himself as he had an impromptu photoshoot and Azul would only meet during lunchtime.

Despite the tone he used, M/C could sense that Vil was more antsy about missing his photoshoot -made more evident by the slight twitch at the mention of potentially missing the event. She agreed with a bright smile; choosing to ignore Vil’s comment about grass sticking to her and her ‘odor’ when she turned to leave.

Finally, she made it to Ramshackle and  rid herself of the stray remnants of debris before she freshened up. Grim, who finally awoke, all but rushed her from the home before she could rest – determined to beat Ace and Deuce to breakfast.

But as luck would have it, M/C could not make it to the Dining Hall before she was stopped by a rather, frazzled Ruggie, who all but shoved a bag of food onto her. He left rushed orders to take it to Leona as he was asked to help restock the lounge before classes. He ran off before she could refuse.

Grim happily skipped to the dining room, telling her not to waste time since he wasn’t going to save her any of the food. However, before she could rush off – Grim yelled back at her to pick up some tuna for him at Sam’s since she was going out of the main building anyway.

She only nodded, ignoring the hollowed feeling in her stomach and the way it rumbled in protest.

M/C remembers being stopped before she could reach Leona, the botanical garden just in sight. That view had been blocked by the ever-looming, Leech Twins. Floyd grinned down at her and plucked the sandwich from her hands.

“Ah! Koechi-chan is so sweet!~ She brought food for us, Jade” Floyd cheered, ignoring her protests and pleas for him to give her the food back.

“Indeed she did, Floyd.” Jade chuckled, doing nothing to stop his twin, who began to eat the food in front of M/C. “And by the way, Prefect. Vil told us that you would be the one picking up his items later today.”

“Y-yes that’s right. At lunch time.” She clarified, her voice softer as she deflated. In retrospect, she still didn’t know what she could have said to Floyd to make him stop. So many girls on Magicam were adamant about how they maintain dominance over their own friends to avoid being stepped on but they always sounded cruel; Giving instructions to ‘clapback’, to insult them,  to physically hurt them or poke at their insecurities to make them listen. She didn’t want to snap at the twins, not only would it not do her any good but angering them isn’t what she wanted.

“Azul needs to push that time to this evening, at dinner. Vil suddenly requested twice the amount and thus more payment is required.” M/C remembered the chill that ran down her spine as the Twins seemed to loom over her even more.

“P-Payment? But I don’t-“

“Rook is handling the payment but,in the even he doesn’t, please he prepared to pay any outstanding fees.”

The Twins ignored her pleas for clarification, with Floyd only turning around to demand that she be present for his basketball practice later today.

M/C recounted how, after that, her day became a blur with random intervals of clarity when another request or demand was made of her.

Ace and Deuce asking her to handle their chores in Heartslabyul of feeding the Hedgehogs and Flamingos while they went to mandatory study hall with Professor Trein.

Trey caught her and asked for her to pick up some cream from Sam’s shop for him. She also picked up the tuna that Grim had asked for and the only thing she could afford to eat to replace the breakfast that she missed – a discounted egg salad sandwich.

A sandwich she could only eat half of, as the other half was given to Silver, who had missed breakfast looking for Malleus. He had not asked anything of her, she remembered, but the way he looked at her was odd to say the least. He was adament on her sitting down and finishing her half of a sandwich before leaving  but the appearance of Ortho, who asked for her to run an errand for Idia, pulled her away.

Her classes came and went, leaving her feeling isolated as usual. Professor Crewel, never one to shy away from a ‘training’ opportunity, chided her for using an incorrect about of Phoeniz wings in her potion. He only became agitated when she proceeded to answer his questions about the potion, a simple draught, completely wrong. Grim was of no help as even he didn’t know the answers, nor did Ace or Deuce by what they had said but Ace and Grim took great joy in laughing at her misery.

Normally, it wouldn’t have affect her but today, it hurt.

But she smiled anyway.

Lunch time came and, again, she was stopped before she entered the dining hall. Sebek  demanded her help in finding Malleus, who was not present at lunch. Again, Grim deserted her as Sebek grabbed her and dragged her along beside him and Silver to find Malleus.

Again, Silver regarded her in an odd way but he said nothing out of the ordinary towards her.

They never did find Malleus and Sebek took too yelling at her for being unable to be of any use in finding him.

“..Sorry, Sebek. I’ll try harder next time.” Was all she could say, while Silver chided him on being too harsh.

As they made it back to the main building, it was time for classes; She had missed lunch as well.

 ‘Perhaps that’s why I was so dizzy.’ She thought to herself, managing to prop herself onto her elbows. The floor beneath her moved and rippled, similar to the waves in the great oceans back in her homeworld. ‘Correction, why I AM so dizzy…’

Her mind again wandered back to her day after lunch time; Where her day only worsened.

Without any proper food in her, there was no way that she could stay awake with Professor Trein’s class. Lucius quickly spotted her and alerted Trein, before Deuce could fully wake her up.

“Do you believe yourself too smart to pay attention within my class, Miss M/C.” He sneered, a glare firmly on his face as he gazed down at her.

“N-No, sir. I’m sorry, Professor! It wasn’t-“

“Silence.” His voice was firm as harsh, caushing her to flinch and shrink in her seat. “There will be no talking back to me of any kind. I had high expectations of you, Miss M/C and yet you have a complete lack of manners. As punishment, you will write me a paper explaining the important of Magical History, no less than 10 pages. If it is not on my desk first thing in the morning, then expect a harsher punishment. Do you understand?”

“Y-Yes, sir.” She mumbled, her head bowed in submission. M/C could remined the feeling of the heat behind her eyes; How hard it was to hold back tears in that moment.

She hadn’t expected kindness from Professor Trein but it seemed no one was recognizing that she was doing the absolute best that she could do with the circumstances that she was in.

She was blunt and sarcastic at times, yes, but she can’t think of anyone who can hold their tongue constantly. Yet when she seemed to speak, unless it was humorous in nature or her agreeing with those around her- she went unheard. But if she pressed and asked for help, who would drop their things to come to her aid?

Those thoughts plagued her for the rest of the day;

Even as Floyd threatened and scolded her for missing basketball practice, where she was supposed to stock the ice water and the cool towels for him,  even though Epel asked her to pick up some old weights from Ruggie.

Even when Ruggie scolded her for not delivering Leona’s sandwich, calling her a thief for eating the sandwich when she reassured him that she didn’t and that Floyd had taken it.

Even when Ace and Deuce whined and complained about letting them down for not feeding the animals properly, when she couldn’t do it properly as they never explained all of the rules to her.

Even when Azul asked, demanded, that she find a specific book for him within the dark recesses of the library before closing as Vil’s additional fee– the thoughts never left her.

In truth, she was merely an anomaly in this world; An irregularity that didn’t belong, didn’t have a place within this magic, twisted world that she found herself in. She was without even the most basic magic to help her through her day to day life as the other had. M/C didn’t know even the most basic of terms within classes that would help her – shown by her struggling grades and performance.

She wouldn’t last outside of NRC, even Crowley had alluded to that. She had no birth certificate, no I.D. on her person, and no family of which to speak of.

Who would risk their own education and future to help someone who wouldn’t be able to do anything on their own anyway?

Even Grim, the other half to her ‘whole student’ was beginning to separate from her as his magic was matured and refined.

But that was why she smiled, was it? She smiled because she liked being needed, feeling as if she had a place in a world where she had none. Even if it ended with her being overworked, sleep-deprived and feeling so hollow – she was needed. A little suffering was nothing.

If her friends would excel in the world around her, wouldn’t that be worth it all? They shouldn’t have to suffer and fail in their classes just because a useless anomaly couldn’t handle the most basic of things.

‘It’s fine.’ She thought to herself, finally pushing herself to her knees. She winced, her movements letting her know just how bad her fall had truly been; Her chest hurt and ached with every beat of her heart, her right leg, the one which hit the ground first, was pulsing and red hot and all over – it felt as if fire ants were stinging her.

“It’s..fine.” She mumbled to herself, reaching with shaking hands to begin the task of stacking the books that she knocked over.

“No, it is not.” Came a hardened voice from behind her.

M/C tensed, her eyes widening as she registered the voice as Professor Trein. As she straightened her back quickly, aiming to turn to look at her professor, the room began to spin once more. Sound all around her became muffled as it felt as though her entire was was submerged underwater.

 “ -s M/C. Are your manners that abhorrent that you cannot even turn to face when when I speak to y-.” Professor Trien fumed but his voice faded away despite how hard she attempted to focus on it.

“P-Professor…” She whimpered, curling into herself to try to stop the sensations around her; But they never ceased, even as she felt something wet run down her face - a pain beginning to bloom upon her head as she focused on the wet feeling.

And it all went dark.

[cindernovadoesart]

More Stuff about Ramshackle Prefect (+Vice)!

Prefect Yuuki Kai: Yuuki had a pet cat at home so kind of just adopts grim immediately. Yuuki doesn’t have the magic pen and just decides to put a grape bottle cap in place of it. When Yuuki was younger was a part of a Boy/Girl scouts type thing and has all the badges (Younger Yuuki was a lot like Russel in UP). Yuuki’s twin followed them like a lost puppy and depends on them, and when Yuuki was first transported in this world they immediately thought of their twin and worried about them for a good while. When the student is close to overblotting Yuuki pulls the goggles in front of their eyes and readies their hand to grab their weapon. When the Broom is whipped out, they tend to quote vines or just insult the person (sometimes just tiktok dances). Also, Yuuki uses Ace’s Wind as a boost to jump strike the phantoms. Also, Yukki and their twin are amab, and since their parents are traditional it was hard for both to comfortably come out as genderfluid. Yukki is Ace Aro their twin is Ace Panro.  Vice-Prefect Ophelia Botan: Ophelia is the Vice Prefect after proving to Crowley how well she was working under Crewel as a TA, and how she, Crewel, and Trien found out that she does have magic, it’s just been dormant since she was in a world where magic just wasn’t as present. She wasn’t there during the entrance ceremony so when Malleus found her passed out coming from the snow-white well, Crowley was more focused on helping the passed-out female teenager rather than sort her into a dorm right away. Though due to the realization that she is also from the same world as Yukki and only has her school bag, phone, student ID, and money from her world Crowley decides to place her into Ramshackle. Ophelia gets angry at people who litter and don’t recycle and will fight people if she wasn’t on school grounds. Ophelia and Lucius have gossip sessions, she picked up talking animal very quickly. Ophelia has a deep fear of leaving Twisted Wonderland because she finally feels like she belongs here and will refuse and fight if she’s forced to leave, she’s finally going to learn more about herself, and that opportunity is just going to disappear. Ophelia has a high chance of over blotting due to her fear of leaving this place and how insecure she is about how she’s perceived by everyone. Ophelia has a great friendship with Malleus, especially for him helping her. When Ophelia heard about Idia being a gamer made it her one sole purpose to befriend him. Prefect +Vice Relationship Status: Sibling like Friends. They’re protective of each other and work well together. They bond over a lot of activities, planning to be a part of either adventure club, board game club, or photography club. Though both know when to give each other some alone time. Ophelia and Yuuki take daily strolls in the botanical gardens whenever they get a chance to. They take turns stopping the shared braincell trio from doing dumb shit. The two often go together to do small check ins with other dorm prefects and vice prefects. Like they schedule a tea party with Riddle and Trey. Hangout with Leona and Ruggie in the botanical gardens. Help out in the Monstro Lounge for Azul and Jade. Attend parties thrown by Kalim to give Jamil some break time. Have a sleepover with Vil and Rook to do makeovers and gossip a bit. Basically, help the other dorm heads and their vices relax and just be company for them. Treat them like human beings. Sometimes tag team and hangout with the prefect and vice separately. Like Ophelia can be talking with Riddle while both are dressed in pink feeding the flamingos, while Yuuki would help out Trey baking. Another example would be Yuuki hanging out with Kalim on a magic carpet ride while Ophelia helps out Jamil from stressing out by having a small talk over tea. Yuuki and Ophelia both know sign so sometimes just speaks to each other via sign and just confuses Grim, Ace, and Deuce. 

[skyemisc]

Azul Labcoat Translation

EP 1:

“I have a favor to ask”

Ramshackle Dorm

???: Please excuse me.

Grim: Hmm? It looks like someone’s here. Hey, Yuu, I’m gonna check it out!

Foyer

Azul: Yuu-san, Grim-san. Pardon the intrusion.

Grim: Gege—Azul! What’re you doing at Ramshackle dorm?

Azul: Oh, you don't need to make such an unpleasant expression there.

Azul: I’ve not come today to collect any debt. I’ve come to earnestly request your assistance.

Choice:

Request?  

This can only end up badly.

Azul: May I ask of you to assist me with Ortho-san’s maintenance?

Grim: Ortho’s maintenance?

Grim: Why would those guys at Ignihyde come to you from Octavinelle for that?

Azul: I am a member of the same club with Ortho-san’s elder brother, Idia-san. In the aforementioned club, a discussion arose.

Azul: He mentioned, “I’d like to swap out a part of his body to upgrade his performance, but I can’t do it alone.”

Grim: The idea of Idia asking you a favor seems pretty reckless…

Azul: It is because he is acquainted to few others. The thought of him bringing it up to me must have took a considerable amount of courage.

Azul: But he was determined to break out of his shell for his precious younger brother.

Azul: For Idia-san to work do his best to support that “younger brother” Ortho-san with a machine for a body…

Azul: It was a pleasant tale. The beautiful story of brotherly love had struck me to my very core.

Azul: Wouldn’t you two also consider offering you aid?

Grim:  Not at all.

Azul: Oh, straight to the point there.

Grim: This has nothing to do with me! Why do we have to help anyway?

Azul: Oh, I’ve misjudged you…or not. I expected you to express as such.

Azul: Incidentally, Grim-san. The other evening, what were you up to?

Grim: The other day? The other day you mean… Ah! Y-You…

Azul: I felt it would be rude to come empty-handed, so I’ve brought a gift. It’s a photo I took in the staff room the other day.

Azul: It displays the disorderly state Trein-sensei’s pet was found in following your quarrel in the staff room.

Grim: N-N-N-N-No you’re wrong. I-It wasn’t me.

Choice:

That’s a sorry excuse.

Photographed right on the act.

Grim: But… But it’s Lucius’ fault. He took my bread for dinner and just ran off!

Azul: Ahh, how troublesome. It seems Sensei is now seeking out the offender as well.

Azul: I’m just so shook up worrying about Ortho-san…

Azul: I might carelessly drop this photo in front of Sensei you know?

Azul: But if I could have help with Ortho-san’s situation, I’m sure I’d manage to keep this a secret.

Grim: Of course, we’d love to help you!! Right, Yuu!?

Choice:

I’ll be a poor supervisor.

If I can be of help, of course.

Azul: Ahh, wonderful! Then let’s leave for Ignihyde at once.

Ignihyde Dorm – Lounge

Idia: W-Wel-Wel…come.

Ortho: Everyone, thank you for coming here for me! Onii-san is very grateful as well.

Azul: Oh no, we must help each other out in times of need.

Idia: Azul… Is this really okay?

Azul: Fufufu. Did I not say to leave this to me?

Azul: Now, time is money. Let’s get started with the operations. Idia-san, have you finished the preparations?

Idia: Ready when you are.

Grim: What are we supposed to do?

Idia: Y-You two will be the operation force… You’ll be doing stuff like preparing, removing, and attaching Ortho’s part.

Grim: If that’s all, would you really need us to be here?

Idia: Ah, I-I-I will be doing the programming and motion control… Ortho’s framework is very complex and…um…

Azul: Ortho-san has a number of parts, doing the work alone would be impossible…is what I think he’s trying to say.

Idia: Y-Yeah…that.

Ortho: I’ve been really looking forward to this new update. I look forward to working with everyone!

Azul: Fufufu. I look forward to working with you as well.

Azul: Now then, would you please lie down. We won’t do anything excessive.

Azul: Changing out parts is similar to surgery, is it not? If anything happens, that would be dreadful.

Grim: That Azul is acting really nice towards Ortho.

Azul: I’m kind to everyone though?

Azul: To both Grim-san and Yuu-san.

Grim: Says the guy who blackmailed me with a secret photo he took!

-----

EP2

Ignihyde Dorm – Lounge

Azul: …I’ve entered the specified code. What should I do next?

Idia: Right now I’ll turn the system off and detach the external lock on his back… When I’m done, I’ll give the signal.

Grim: …Hey, Yuu. Do we really need to be here?

Grim: Azul’s taking care of the complicated parts for assembly, and he’s good with his hands so there’s no problems there.

Choice:

We’re probably more in the way

Maybe he didn’t want to do it alone

Idia: …The system’s turned off. It’s open.

Azul: Now Grim, I’ve kept you waiting! It’s your turn now.

Grim: Wha, me?

Azul: The exterior of his back has been opened. Please peek around inside.

Grim: sniff-sniff…. Ortho really is a machine. It’s all metal and cords inside.

Azul: Towards the very interior, there’s a blue glowing part right? That is the part we will be replacing.

Azul: I ask of you to remove this part and insert the new part within its place.

Grim: T-This seems like a really important role… Why don’t any of you guys do it?

Azul:  Idia-san is in taking care of the programming, and I need to insert the new password every 15 seconds.

Azul: Unfortunately, both of our hands are tied up.  …It’s a very strict security protocol.

Idia:  I-I didn’t want my dear Ortho’s contents to get stolen, so I thought to up the security… heh.

Idia: I upped it too much and can’t operate on him alone! It needs improving.

Grim: You look like you’re having fun… Weird guy.

Azul: As we work on our tasks concurrently, Grim-san, you just need to quickly swap out the parts… Simple, yes?

Grim: Well if it’s just that much it should be fine. ‘Kay, I’ll just…

Azul: Oh. Be sure to not touch any other parts that aren’t being replaced…at all costs.

Grim: That sounds kinda fishy… What happens if I do touch them? I won’t get shocked will I?

Azul: Ahaha! Why of course not. Hey, Idia-san.

Idia: Yeah. If you touch it, you wouldn’t get shocked. But…

Grim: But?

Idia: The protection software will register you as a ‘threat’ and you’ll be attacked by a high magical energy output is all.

Grim: That’s not okay at all!  That’s putting my own life on the line!

Grim: I absolutely want no part in this. I absolutely won’t do it!

Azul: Ah! I’m so shocked at your refusal I might just drop that “photo” in front of Trein-sensei…

Grim: Grr…. B-But getting attacked by that magical energy…

Azul: …I might just feel so grateful I may even pay you with a “high class canned tuna”.

Grim: Wha—That’s a great bargain! I’ll hold you to your word you know?!

Choice:

He’s so easily persuaded.

He’s powerless to canned tuna…

Grim: It’s important to put in great attention into detailed work. …Alright! Here I go!

Idia: The part came out  easily. Good. Next is…

Grim: Here!

Azul: Splendid. Now simply toss in the new part… Ah, no, it’s installed.

Ortho: …

Grim: …

Ortho: “…Confirming new media attachment.  Now loading.”

Idia: Alright we got it!!! Now we just gotta show what it’s got…! (1)

Grim: Haaaaah~~~! I was so nervous.

Idia: It gives a 10% increase in processing speed, so it should allow for heavy programs that were impossible before… Eheh.

Grim: That Idia is not listening to me at all… Show some appreciation here!

Choice:

Good work

You were cool.

Azul: Yes good work everyone. I will be taking the old removed part then.

Grim: Hey, you don’t need this dumb thing.

Grim: On top of that, Azul. We worked really hard here. You better get rid of that picture.

Grim: Also, that canned tuna! Don’t think I’ve forgotten about it.

Azul: Of course. I am a man of my word.

Azul: I will properly dispose of the photo and give you the canned tuna. I will absolutely not leave you with any resentment for today.

Azul: …I cannot allow this to cause trouble in the future,  so would you please sign this?

Grim: Yeah! I’ve fulfilled my role, so you best not forget either.

Azul: Yes. We have an agreement.

Grim: Nyahaha. He’s getting’ rid of the proof and I get my paws on canned tuna. It was a great deal.

Ortho: -------Reboot complete. Program updated with no errors.

Ortho: …Everyone, thank you so much for today!

Grim: Yeah. Be grateful.

Ortho: To be satisfied with just one tuna can… Grim desires so little, he’s so nice!

Ortho: If Azul Ashengrotto sold the old part he was given, you could eat as many tuna cans as you liked.

Grim: Huh…?

Azul: Certainly not. It would be foolish to simply sell the famous genius Idia-san’s handmade magical parts.

Azul: I plan to utilize it under best conditions to increase its value.

Grim: Huh? Huh? With Ortho’s parts… H-How many tuna cans would it be worth?

Ortho: Who knows? Perhaps enough to fill the entire gymnasium with tuna cans?

Grim: Wh-What!?

Azul: Don’t underestimate it. If it was me, I could bring forth at least twice that in value.

Grim: Azul! You put me to such dangerous work, and just took the biggest prize for yourself!?

Choice:

He really cheated you there…

Aren’t you happy about getting your canned tuna?

Azul: There’s no harm. We both signed that splendid deal right? Alright, here’s your one can of high class canned tuna.

Grim: G-Grr~~!

Azul: Ahh, I’m so please to see you accept it with such pleasure.

 ------

Note: Idia uses an expression 腕の見せ所 which is similar to “Time to show what you’ve got”. He’s mostly just expressing his skillset here.

[fumikomiyasaki]

Hi Fumikomiyasaki, hope your day is going well. Just a quick question. . . How would a Monsville chapter play out if it were in-game? Your characters are great but I would like to know more about how their characters would canonical change through out the chapter. Also, could you possibly add in Syncrean (sorry if that's misspelled 😅) and any other Twisted Wonderland ocs? Thank you for reading this and your contribution to the Twisted Wonderland Fandom 😄- Anon

Monsville story chapter in Twisted Wonderland:

Placing between Ignihyde and Diasomnia, or maybe after Diasomnia if we wanna keep the 7 dorms first.

MC Has a dream of a factory, cogs are turning lots of Doors without rooms, Like a Maze MC runs through it without knowing where to Go

After this dream they wake up with some commotion in front of Ramshackle dorm.

They find Ace and Deuce fending off huge walking machine. As they struggle to calm it down, Leroy appears and turns it off with his handiwork. He kinda mocks Deuce and Ace mostly for being such wimps and how they were afraid of the machine, before he leaves with his freshmen who carry the machine away.

After that Crowley grants them a permission for a tour through the monsville dormitory…

to investigate why some of the machines have gone haywire. As well as what Leroy's involvement is in this affair. Idia, who was again talking over his machine, said he would look into the monsville construction from his room.

So MC, Grim, Ace and Deuce went to the Monsville dorm to start their mission, however they were greeted by the Dorm Leader himself Henry. He wanted to give the tour personally and said he wanted to discuss something with them after. You get to meet Students like Suffy and Mitchell working on a fridge with some extra functions, Alyn great you when you enter the building, Roslyn is focused in her paperwork, Gio tripped and accidentally threw a wrench in Deuce direction… Just simple interactions with all the Monsville students so far.

At the end of the tour you arrive at Henry's office, where he confronts you that he knows you have been stopping lots of Overblots. After the group was kinda intimidated by him, he flashes a smile and thanks them for what they do. He reveals how his main goal is to make everyone use less Magic in live and make people feel happier overall so that Overblots won’t happen. He shares how he witnessed a good friend died due to an Overblot.

The group ask him if there has been any odd occurrences, Henry is hesitant, but says he has some troubles with a student names Leroy. He does his work well, however he constantly announces how he is the true dorm leader of Monsville and he will prove that he is worth it.

However since then the Company is kinda split in two fractions, the people that support Leroy and the people that support Henry. Henry gets a call from his father and says they can explore the dorm more if they want to.

After that you talk to certain students, get attacked by some Monsville students who support Leroy because they fear like you are manipulating the students and when you finally find Leroy he asks Suffy for a little contest. Cue a Rhythm game with Suffy and Mitchell against Mellow and Leroy with the crew watching them.

After this MCs group interrogates Leroy why he feels like he is the true dorm leader. Leroy tells about the Origin of Interstate hill and how they are two stories, one about the Crab monster and the other about the Chameleon monster. He feels that because NRC has a statue of the Chameleon monster, that he is the true Leader of the dorm.

After this conversation Mellow will ask you to come to the garden to talk about something with Leroy and Henry.

In the garden Mellow tells you about the third story of Origin for Interstate hill, in which both Monsters work together. He also mentions how Leroy has changed even more than he already has through this competition. Mellow feels like Leroy waers himself down to get a following, and has it hard to be himself anymore.

But for the sake of Leroy, Mellow refuses to speak about his past.

Mostly after that you witness some clashes between students that support Leroy and students that support Henry and cause trouble around the cafeteria. Henry stops them because he wants the Monsville name not to be ruined anymore, Leroy swoops in to say: “You really have to kill the fun, do ya?” And mostly it leads to a fight of Ideals.

After Henry draws back and offers Leroy a competition where Leroy could win the right to become a leader, Leroy agrees and says he will crush him.

Mitchell, who watched the spectacle with you, actually mentions that he, Mellow, Suffy and Leroy went to the same school, that Leroy was way different back then. But before he can tell how different, Mellow dragged him away and apologizes.

During the Final Clash, something got messed up and The team that supported Leroy the whole time starts doubting Leroy, after Henry commented how Leroy doesn’t plan out things much… They started to turn to Henry again.

“So in the end again… I am all alone.” Leroy begins to laugh madly and tear roll down from his face, revealing his freckles on his face. “In the end, this friendship I searched, the love I wanted…. it was all a lie… I worked my ass off… AND THIS IS THE THANKS I GET FOR THIS!”

Cue his overblot transformation. "Again I am left alone by everyone. Just because I am different... I tried to change color, to blend in with the popular crowd but where did it get me... I am sick of it... Fine, I'll be the Monster I was always destined to be. TIME TO GO WILD!"

During the Fight His canister hammer has for 3 rounds increased strength and you can hear screams when He Hits you But needs to Charge it back after.

After you defeat him and convince him with Mellow and others, that he has friends that care about him, Leroy turns back to himself.

Cue an scene about Leroy and his love for Anime and Manga, switching to bullies taking his stuff away, stealing his glasses, ripping his favourite Manga apart… Leroy sat at the tables alone most of the times… he wanted to stay strong and try to be the smartest, but kinda Suffy and Mitchell got in the way. Mellow talking to him and introducing him to Suffy and Mitch and telling that as group they wanna work together against the bullies. And so Leroy had a place to belong and before Night Raven College, Leroy decided he wanted to become confident, make it on his own and shine brighter than everyone. Which led him to his overwork with his outfits and looks.

After this happened Leroy apologizes to Henry and admits, that it’s true he sometimes doesn’t think through, but also comments how Henry messed up in construction a lot. They both start laughing and Henry pulls Leroy in for a hug and cries. “Ew, could you stop that, it’s gross.” A finally end of the War between those both and it has been turned into a friendly Rivalry. Leroy comments how he still won’t lose to Henry, but will agree that he now also tries to hear out his suggestions. Henry smiled and thanks your crew for helping them.

The machines are finally under control again, and Leroy is now not shy anymore to wear his glasses sometimes and show his freckles all the time. He is now more open about his hobby, but in the end, he still kept his new Mischievious and Sassy self as a part of his new personality. The new Reborn Leroy.

Syncrean secret story chapter in Twisted Wonderland:

You meet the girls one day in the basement of NRC college by accident…

It mostly follows a story how they go on Missions to sabotage RSA and DCA to gain advantage in status and become their own school. the story mostly involves Sindrens Homeplace and her plans that get more and more devious as she is to invested in playing a villain herself when she wants to be the Hero. Mythra trying to get her to the right part, Feena making kinda mean comments, that push Sindren even harder into madness.

“If no hero is worthy to save this world, I guess I don’t have to become a hero, but a Villain to motivate these Heroes to try harder.” Sindren gets power hungry and fears like no RSA student could stop her plans. Which leads to her overblot.

Mostly I haven’t worked much on their story, so these are the Ideas I have.

Datamane story chapter in Twisted Wonderland:

Learning about the Robots, Crowleys curiousity about them and how they can use Magic.

The Overblot will play out like a Virus but I haven’t actually decided who will overblot. I think Damon would be very interesting, because although Maurice is the leader and Datamane is split in Professors and Robots, I think Damon would bring it more Emotionally, in a way of:

“I can’t do it… I can’t save Maurice or Seymour…. What is my life worth anyway… if it’s not of anyones use….” Mostly along these lines, storywise nothing is planned so far.

[meegeemee26]

Going Home...?

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DISCLAIMER : I wrote this story, forgetting that the Prefect/MC doesn’t wield magic. But after seeing the other characters overblot, I wonder what if the prefect themselves overblot? Just... take this HC as if the MC had magic, just that they unlocked this “magic” based of the stress they have been holding in because of a decision that have to make. Cliche, I guess, but I wanna write this for a bit of angst and writing this idea before I go cram homework and revision for the rest of the day. 

Also, I have not seen the EN translations after Chapter 4, so I’m not too sure about how MC would interact with them, but I’ll try my best! 

Hope you enjoy!

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Screams of horror and panic filled Night Raven College as students of the many dorms ran around, scatter-brained. There were trees set ablaze, buildings collapsing at every corner students turned , and a storm swirling in once a clear blue sky. The staff members were trying to calm students in the chaos, evacuating as many as they could. However, a red-head managed to slip past, running around in a frenzy, heading straight to the courtyard.

“OI! Where’s the Prefect?! I can’t find them!” Ace panted under his breath as he saw Deuce and Jack looking around, lost and confused as well. They did not know either, till the other dorm leaders and members gathered. “Have you seen the prefect?! Someone just went into Overblot!” Kalim exclaimed.“Where could they be? They should have rushed in by now to help us out...” Trey questioned as well. 

Before the group of students waved their magic pens to attack the overblotted student, a certain cat crawled in. But... he was crawling, panting and exhausted. Not panicking, not screaming, not jumping... he just needed some aid. 

“The prefect... is who you’re looking at right now...” Grim muttered before passing out. 

“Looking at right now...,” Riddle, confused by the statement, furrowed his eyebrows in frustration at Grim before a ball of fire came, dispersing the group in multiple directions. Followed by a mini hurricane and a large wave of water, Leona was groaning about how much his clothes were soiled before Floyd gasped in shock, 

“Ebi-chan?” 

Everyone just stood where there were for a good while, trying to comprehend what and how the ever friendly, witty and kind Ramshackle Head would be able to break out like this.  Stress? Anxiety? What could be ? 

“ I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE!” A distressed scream rang through the thunder as another lighting blot came shooting down.  

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“Prefect, please take a sit. A year has passed since you arrived... How did you like it here?” Headmaster Crowley asked as he poured a glass of water in front of me.

“It has been great!” 

Great? Great alone could not define what I have experienced in here. In Twisted Wonderland, in Night Raven College. Learning magic? A school based off movie villians? I won’t say this was what I dreamt off, but spending a year here has been so much better than what I have on the other side. 

“You and your stupid fantasies! What are you, a child?” 

Back at the other universe, I was bullied and mocked, for being a “child” - Liking Disney animated Movies, singing Love is an Open Door”by myself like a mad person, and to top it off, carrying Disney-themed merchandise anytime I could. Living in any animated movie would be a dream for me. People would laugh and give me the funny stares whenever I walked down the corridor. People would shove me into the toilets for being immature, looking down on me, thinking that “I won’t change from this immature, childish, naive state.”.... It definitely hurt, no joke there... So I usually head home, head lowered as my body sinks into the mattress of my bed. 

As the bullying got worse, and my father started to work overtime, while my mother was working overseas, I have hit the bottom of bottom, probably deeper than the deep blue sea itself. I sometimes stare at the ceiling, wondering where I could find an Ursala - sign a contract in exchange to get away from this shit hole. Maybe a genie too - One : No more mockery, no more being shoved into a corner. Two : Just, living the perfect life of singing happily and conquering lands. and keep the last wish when I need it most. Letting my pillow soak up my tears, I whispered...

“I wish I could leave this behind...” before going back to wailing and drifting off into a slumber. 

Little did I know that I woke up in a coffin, to be brought into Twisted Wonderland and its Night Raven college, a place inspired by Disney Villians. Even if Ace and Grim were a handful at the beginning, the rest of the year in the school has truly been a chaotic, memorable one. The friends I have made, the dorm leaders I have helped overcome their overblot, and the chaos I get tossed into, I would not trade them for the world. Who knew being a little twisted would be so good? 

“Sorry if I’m being rude, but... why did you ask me to come up here to your office alone?”

“Yes, about that. I thought this piece of news would be more personal to you. It’s not bad news, I assure you. In fact, it is splendid news!” 

“What could it be?” I asked, trying to figure out what he was going to ask. 

“I found a way for you to get home! Back to your universe! Oh, the ever-kindhearted professor has spent countless hours building this mirror.” He stood up as he pulled a piece of red cloth to reveal a mirror. It was like the one at the dorm-sorting ceremony, but it showed my room, my school, my neighbourhood. 

“Pretty neat, isn’t it-” 

“No... No... I can’t...,” My gaze met the floor and my hands balled into fits. As my fingernails sunk into my skin, I could feel my heart pounding. That SAME feeling of fear and anger rose, and as I brought my knees up to my chest, I felt panic, wondering life back there. 

I can’t bring my friends there, I can’t help in battles that don’t involve magic, I can’t think of another day spending in that hell hole ! I...I- I’m just nothing over there! Nothing but a walking target, anticipating another attack that I know I can’t avoid!

“Prefect... Do you want some time to think it over?” Ah crap, the Headmaster noticed. This should not concern him at all. It’s mine to deal with ,right? After all, he was the one to build this for me out of his good will...

“Yes, please. I’ll take my leave now. Thank you for your present...” I got up, and left. Grim pounced onto me the moment my foot stepped out of the office. “So? So? What was it about?” He demanded an answer before I replied with a small, bitter smile, “Oh, it’s nothing. Come on... I’m tired. Let’s head back to the dorm...”

I can’t let anyone know, until I feel it is right. I still have time to think about it, anyway... 

“Hey! Wanna eat lunch later?”

“Sorry, I have extra revision to do...”

“Wanna go for a carpet ride later?”

“Ah, sorry. Not feeling it...” 

Offer after offer, I had to turn them down. Grim would go instead as I needed more time to decide. Later on, Headmaster came in to tell me that the mirror could not hold for long. In a week or so, the portal may close. 

Stay... or leave? 

Stay in this wonderful world... or leave it behind? 

Stay... or leave? 

Stay in this wonderful world... or leave and go back and start anew? 

Little did I know the last thing I saw before passing out was Grim backing away from me and the sound of a shattered mirror behind me. 

.... “I don’t want to leave...” 

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“.... They’re breathing... Get... Ramsha...dorm!”

“..I thought they could not... magic...” 

“Magic asi... they are...WAIT-”

“Ow... my head..” I woke up, only to be greeted by the familiar sight of their bedroom ceiling, and a vase of flowers beside me.“What happe-”

“GUYS THE PREFECT IS AWAKE!” Three voices shouted, followed by a stampede, and ten people trying to squeeze through the door. Amused, I sat up with the remaining energy they have, and gave the biggest smile they could. After being bombarded by questions like “Are you alright?!” and being fed with heartwarming dishes, the tears of comfort and love came out one by one. I could not bring these back to the other side right? 

“I have been keeping this away from you. But,... I am given the choice to go back to where I came from...” I trailed off before Jade cut me short and that everyone knows about everything. The mirror, my life back at the other side... everything. 

“I’m sorry... I’m sorry that....I’m sorry that I- I hurt all of you! I’m sorry...” Words could not form the remorse, guilt I felt till I felt like I was being assaulted by a ball of familiar fluff, followed by my hands being held in comfort. 

“You know you could have just told us right?” Leona rubbed it in , only to have everyone shoot death glares at him. “IT WAS HARD TO EXPLAIN ALRIGHT?! I CAN’T JUST... JUST ABANDON YOU ALL!” I choked between my words before Grim came off. 

“He’s right. Without you, all of us won’t be here. You’re the one who helped us with our overblot, now let us help you...” Before I could refuse, Grim did not let me speak further. I could only mutter a ‘thank you’ before drowning myself in my tears again. “Well, who knew human emotion could be such a weakness?” “Spare me from your Book of Weaknesses, Azul.” 

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“Sorry for bothering you Headmaster. But I would like to stay here in Night Raven College, even in Twisted Wonderland. Please!” I bowed, with my face to the ground, closing my eyes, hoping for the best. I just hope that he is not too angry with me, after all of the effort put into making the mirror for me to head home. Please...

“....Alright. After all, if another overblot incident were to take place, who else could we turn to?” He agreed! Thank God... He walked over to the mirror, casted a spell for it to be completely shut down. I am staying here, for now, till I’m ready to go back... 

[madamhatter]

bigcasinc inquired: ✎- Jade Send in “ ✎ “  to put our muses in this generator and write a starter (OR) drabble based off the prompt we get! | accepting | @bigcasinc​​

PROMPT: Jade and Sophie sleeping on top of each other (in the bed, couch, where ever you prefer) when Sophie flops down on the floor. 

Per the headmaster’s directive, and given the timing, Simeon was to live or at least associate with the Ramshackle dormitory. To better strengthen the fabricated identity was his reason for such arrangements. Yet, the leading corvid had other motives that didn’t go unnoticed. 

‘Kind,’ as he advertised himself to be, the headmaster still had his own curiosities and suspicions regarding the human that needed answering. And, what better way to gain answers than to assign a staff member to such a task? He wasn’t attentive over the whole ordeal, to begin with. To assess and report to their superior, Simeon took another burden. It was one that they should’ve refused. Yet, their fidelity made it nay possible to ignore. 

Retiring to the dormitory wasn’t entirely necessary for Simeon. The rooms were bigger than the cramped-unit they originally and currently live in. However, they preferred their ghosts haunting their minds and not shaking their bed. And, they believed that anyone would prefer some privacy whilst changing their bandages and treating their burns.

One night, Simeon recalls. I’m so kind that you don’t need to stay there for the entire semester. Just please, keep an eye on our new student for one night and see how they’re adjusting. They’re our guest, after all. Our very new and interesting guest.

Out of the generosity of their heart, and the gratitude they held towards the headmaster, they decided to spend a week. And how that week practically spent them-- 

Simeon’s memories were already clouded,  yet it hadn’t occurred to them that their mind would’ve gone adrift while attending to the Monstro’s Longue. The last they recalled was...

Ankles crossed, the student was shifting and sorting through contracts, reading through the fine print and agreements. Their main business was cross-checking with one of Mister Ashengrotto’s trusted footmen, the emotionally maintained but mentally scarring Jade Leech. 

These contracts happened to ones that weren’t using the dorm leader’s unique magic, as most of the signers hadn’t any outstanding ability to remove. If the conditions of the contract weren’t met, well, the Leech twins were more than capable of handling it.

“This stack has Savanaclaw students have who’ve decided to contract but failed to meet to the agreements,” the young student gestured their hand to their left-hand side. “Your brother is already handling a personal order from Mister Ashengrotto,” they nodded, “this is most likely going to be easier than what he’s currently assigned.” 

Composure fixed onto his face through a polite smile, Jade folds his hand over his chest, accepting the compliment. No complaints, no backtalk, but he was as capable of creeping underneath their skin when he felt particularly poised and interested in doing so. Olive and golden irises followed not their hand gestured, but remained on their face -- Simeon had already picked up on this but, they voted to ignore it. 

Several passive comments were made when Simeon first arrived, inquiring about the maintenance of the human body and the cycles required by the body to follow. What an interesting way not to directly comment about my eyes, the human thought and they shrugged it off. 

While they continued to maneuver and manage the conversation, it wouldn’t hide the fact their eyes were sullen and dark bags marred underneath their otherwise sharp eyes. “Now, ---” The light of their mind flickered, and they heeded no attention to it. Though, the disregard also included their words slurring and their conscious blanking and their body slowly teetering...

And all came to a stop.

Restlessness must’ve been a requirement for whoever lived in the Ramshackle dormitory. Long since abandoned and grim, it was until the arrivals of the mirror-hopper and the azure, hot-tongued cat that life returned to the unfortunate remains of a once-great dormitory. How the pair ever managed themselves in this wretched and abysmal lodging was beyond Simeon’s understanding.

Admittedly, the ‘third-year’ curbed any possible interactions with the other-worlder and the feline. In both their best interest and protection, they maintained themselves as an observer, as opposed to an entrant. Imposing their presence into the newcomer’s strained schedule wasn’t a thought Simeon enjoyed. Alas, the truth of the matter was simple: they wanted nothing to do with the duo.

All these thoughts subsided in the vast blankness of Simeon’s mind -- and Simeon occupied the space as a mere creation of Sophie Hatter. The epicenter of the experiences and memories gathered by Myrtle and Simeon, but most of Sophie’s were severed and covered with an inescapable fog. 

Succumbing to the darkness, Sophie urged herself to question what is going on. Her physical body, it must’ve reacted to something and crashed while holding itself by a hair. Flashes of consciousness tried to break through, yet the entirety of her body was numb. Nothing was responding and all she could conceive at that moment was that she was alive--.

It is a death-like sleep, she reasons. Perhaps something happened to my soul? Was I cast out of my body by a fae or unsightly creature that had I long dreaded exist in my forgotten life? Or, has my time concluded on this plane... The curse stealing away my mortality, what an irony.

However, she found herself floating on nothingness and staring at a blackened sky. Not all was lost, that should’ve been the upside. Tranquility found in the nothingness isn’t ever soothing. It immobilizes and allows it to come...

Bright, blinding, it was all that Sophie could connect to her past. Black is disrupted by the faint slit of needle-thin red peering only steps away from where she laid. All the air she imagines herself to breathe is running short -- her mouth tightly shuts, refusing to scream. Though, all the air in that space -- it rapidly dissipates as it looms closer. 

Razor red claws reach forward, silhouette engulfed in flames, wild orange licking out in curls unspeakable in its mass. No recognizable features of a body existed. All that survived was its approaching form, touch reaching out and closing it on Sophie’s throat. 

Squirming little form underneath the flame, she was a moth caught in the fire. Tears began growing in the corner of her eyes. Writhing comes from panic, urging herself to live and run.

Please no, no, no --

Hot, blistering pain overwhelms the back of Sophie's left arm. Clothes burning off and the skin revealing its patchy, scarred self down her back-- 

THUD.

Struggling breath, sharp pain, painful light glare -- her body slowly raises, black gloved hands struggling to grip anything around her. A terrified gasp leaves her, yet her expression was blank and emotionless with a glaze over her eyes.

Dream, a dream --- 

A trembling Simeon awakens back to the world. Aquatic walls greet their eyes as they blink rapidly. Bountiful underwater views of coral reefs were before them, faint glow of purple hanging on the walls. A large octopus metal insignia hung over the glass paneling as there were lilac, transparent curtains drawn away. 

Dor..mitory....

Turning their head slowly, Simeon spotted two sharp shoes -- dual-toned black and white. Eyes slowly trail up to find gray slacks and white-gloved hands resting on a humanoid’s lap--.Their eyes slowly trail up and upon spotting a fixed white bowtie and fixed purple shirt, it was simply,

Jade.

Unbeknownst to Simeon, the eel easily carried their body and escorted them out of the Monstro’s Longue. Not wanting to distress and disturb the upcoming busy hours, as Azul would’ve despised a hiccup in their business, the vice-head had taken them to the Octavinelle dormitory’s common area.

He was seated on the large curved gray couch, one that could’ve seated almost a dozen students. Though, his gaze was distinctively hinting that any other individuals should’ve steered clear away and not disturb. If that didn’t help, a simple flash of his razor-sharp teeth signaled to the freshmen to leave their second-in-command alone with the Ramshackle student. 

Their motionless body had been adjusted to lay across the couch, head resting against Jade’s leg. Short silver locks grazed against the fabric of his pants. And the most interesting detail he observed was the warped expression and range of emotions Simeon carried besides their usual ones. He expected humans were meant to sleep beautifully and peacefully, that much he read and heard from the non-merfolk and in their books. 

But, Simeon looked troubled.

A forceful breath finally left the human, shaking body now relaxing and their hands about to push themselves off the ground. Yet, their legs were still weakened and it was a pathetic attempt to regain their footing. 

They finally choked out something to say, 

“Mister Leech, I must’ve had a fainting spell. I deeply apologize for that. I hope I wasn’t a nuisance to you and your busy schedule--” Simeon spoke, true to how the persona was. Yet, a softer voice left, a peek to how they truly sounded as Sophie. It was soft, ashamed, and almost inaudible. “I’m so sorry.” 

If Simeon wasn’t careful, they’d fall.