HI!

This is the next installment of the Gladiolus series. For those who had been reading the series since last year (wow, a year already!), I hope you enjoy this story. For new readers, I suggest reading the previous parts before you dive into this story or you'll be lost. (I have many BC fics that are standalones, so feel free to check them out too).

I'm pretty excited for this one. While I was writing Freesia and Magnolia Petals, I came up with this installment. I've tagged all the relationships that will be a focus in this story but it's by no means all of them. This is a focus on the Black Bulls, their relationships with their romantic partners, their families, and the other Magic Knights. It's gonna be a bit of a long one (maybe not as long as Gladiolus, but pretty close).

For a bit of context, this takes place on Family Day (So a year from the Family Day in the Epilogue of Gladiolus, which was two months after the Unrequited Love Curse ended). In terms of Freesia and Magnolia Petals, Zora/Kirsch have been dating for nine-ten months, since the last chapter takes place during the War Merits Conferment Ceremony in both F&MP and Bellflowers.

(Please read Parts 1-4. This is a Canon Divergent AU of the Black Clover Series, so the other parts are necessary to understand what's going on).

Tags: Angst with a Happy Ending, mental trauma, Dream/Nightmare Theme, Depression, Anxiety, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Family Feels, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Crying, Panic Attacks, Spoilers until manga Chapter 215, Mind the Tags, Black Bulls Squad as Family (Black Clover)

Relationships: Asta/Yuno, Finesse Calmreich/Finral Roulacase, Kahono/Noelle Silva, Zora Ideale/Kirsch Vermillion, Charlotte Roselei/Yami Sukehiro, Vanessa Enoteca/Nozel Silva, Gauche Adlai/Grey, Gauche Adlai & Marie Adlai, Finesse Calmreich & Finral Roulacase & Langris Vaude, Lemiel Silvamillion Clover/Secre Swallowtail | Nero, Klaus Lunette/Magna Swing, Dorothy Unsworth/William Vangeance, Dorothy Unsworth & Kirsch Vermillion, Nebra Silva & Noelle Silva & Nozel Silva & Solid Silva, Noelle Silva & Mimosa Vermillion, Yami Sukehiro & William Vangeance, Magna Swing & Original Character(s), Magna Swing & Luck Voltia, Black Bulls Ensemble & Henry Legolant, Black Bulls Ensemble & Gordon Agrippa, Black Bulls Ensemble & Charmy Pappitson, Black Bulls Ensemble & Luck Voltia

WARNINGS:
Mind the Tags, they will update as necessary.
I might change the rating from T to M, if I think it's necessary.
Spoilers to Black Clover Chapter 215! However, I might take themes and characters and story elements from later chapters.
Side note: I know that the BB's canon Vice-Captain was revealed recently, but he's the only character I won't be using (I'm still a bit iffy on him yet, but he might appear in my other BCs stories). I wrote the Gladiolus series with the hc Finral being the Vice-Captain of the BBs (since it seems that Finral does all the things that VCs do, but that's just me).

This is also cross-posted on Ao3.

Chapter 1: Witching Hour

One Year and Two Months after the End of the Unrequited Love Curse Incident (Gladiolus)

Six Months after the latest War Merits Conferment Ceremony (Freesia & Magnolia Petals)

Clover Kingdom
Noble Realm
Coral Peacock Headquarters
Captain Dorothy Unsworth's Bedroom
Family Day
3 AM (Witching Hour)

All was peaceful in the world in the wee hours of the morning on the Clover Kingdom holiday of Family Day. It was still dark outside, the sun not yet rising in the sky. Magic Knight Captain Dorothy Unsworth of the Coral Peacocks had been sleeping soundly for the last fourteen and a half months. It was rare that Dorothy stayed awake, but she can do so in times of crisis as she had done in the past with the Elf/Word Demon situation and then, the Unrequited Love Curse Incident. Her going to sleep and waking usually meant that there was trouble.

Thoroughly connected to the Dream Realm and her Glamour World magic, Dorothy protected the dreams of everyone, as humans would die without dreaming. She took particular care of her fellow Magic Knights' dreams, so when something was off with anyone, she knew it, no matter how far away they were or if they were in a different place.

Therefore, Dorothy's purple eyes shot open as she felt a shockwave reverberate in the Dream Realm, caused by the familiar magic of the Nightmare World. Dorothy hadn't sensed this kind of magic in a while and worse, the magic seemed to come from where the Black Bulls lived in the Forsaken Realm. Her stomach was in knots at the thought of Yami and his group being in danger without knowing it.

Jumping out of bed, Dorothy yelled at the top of her lungs, "Kirsch! Wake up!" She ran out of her room, not even bothering to get her robes and slippers, as she went next door to bang on her Vice-Captain's bedroom door. She screeched, "Kirsch! Up! Up!"

The door swung open as Kirsch was still half-asleep, hair sticking up in many directions. He blearily asked, "Captain, what's wrong?"

Dorothy grabbed Kirsch's hands. She told him in no uncertain terms. "We need to get to the Black Bulls. They're in danger."

That woke up Kirsch immediately. "What're you talking about, Captain?" He had a very worried look on his face. Dorothy knew that he was thinking of his cousin Noelle and his romantic partner Zora. She hated to worry him—Kirsch did so much for Dorothy. He really was like her little brother.

"Let's go, now," said Dorothy, despite the fact that she was in her very thin nightgown and had no shoes. There wasn't time to give Kirsch an explanation when she was gonna have to tell the whole thing over again to Fuegoleon and the other Captains and Vice-Captains. She'd rather tell the story once.

Footsteps came running as Dorothy's screaming summoned the nearby members of her squad. Levi, Cornelia, Barry and several other senior magic Knights arrived in the crowded hallway.

Thankfully, Kirsch was always on point. He was such a reliable Vice-Captain. "Levi, call Lord Fuegoleon and tell him to meet us at the Black Bulls' house, ASAP. Cornelia and you are in charge until Captain and I get back." Levi nodded and ran to get their communication wizard in contact with Magic Knights' Headquarters in the Capital. Cornelia herded everyone else back to their rooms. "Captain, get changed quickly."

Kirsch disappeared back in his room to put on actual clothes.

Dorothy wasted no time and ran back to her room, throwing on her normal outfit that she wore yesterday. Hat on her head, she rushed back out as Kirsch seemed to be put together, including having his hair done. "Kirsch, let's hurry."

They rushed through the maze-like Coral Peacocks' Headquarters to the front entrance, where a rack of flying brooms waited. Dorothy grabbed hers and Kirsch his. Thankfully, their base was in the sky so they didn't worry about fighting against the night winds. Dorothy put extra mana in her broom to make it go faster, which had Kirsch following suit.

The Black Bulls' Headquarters was all the way in the Forsaken Realm. By a normal flight, it'd take several hours.

"There's no time to waste," said Dorothy.

"Captain! Don't hurt yourself! You just woke up," called Kirsch, over the wind whipping by them.

"I'm fine, Kirsch," said Dorothy. Her mouth was set in a grim-line. She didn't think that she'd ever have to deal with the Nightmare Realm again. It's been ages since the last battle against that witch. Dorothy just had a feeling that the next time she woke up something bad was gonna happen. To herself, she said, "Please let me be wrong."

She just hoped that the Black Bulls were alright.

~to be continued