We were back at the mine entrance, but this time we were prepared.
"You... really think it'll go as planned? I'm sca... No, just nervous." Grim admitted, shaking his head.
"No worries, I'm sure it'll be fine." I assured confidently.
Ace chuckled at Grim. "Haha, you're too stiff. Just go with the flow. Let's get this over with!"
Eventually, having sensed our intruding presences, the Faceless Monster floats near the entrance.
"Hey, monster! O-O-Over here!" Grim called out.
The ink monster growled, attention zeroed on us. "LeaAAAAAVVEE!!"
Grim gave a start. "Gah! It's coming!"
I was not discouraged, however. I provoked it further, "Over here!"
"There...thief...too. Won't give... Mine... Mine!!" Fixated on us, the monster draws away from the mine entrance and randomly swings its arms in hopes of warding us away.
Grim squeaked. "That punch looks like a knockout if it lands!"
"Get it as far from the tunnel as possible." I ordered.
"Go away! Go away!!" The monster swung its pickaxe, coming closer to us. A part of me spared a little sympathy. It sounded like it was pleading. But we have to get the magic stone. We came all this way after all.
"It's pretty far from the tunnel now!" Grim called out.
"Go for it!" I shouted.
"Okay, I got this! Let's go, extra large tempest!" With a wave of Ace's pen comes a hefty gust.
"And the great Grim's Fire Special!"
Blue flames and wind combine together and spiral around the monster in an azure flame tornado. The Faceless Monster is now confused and startled in place.
"How's this! I can even fan Grim's shoddy flame into an inferno!" Ace cheered while insulting him in the same breath.
"It's not shoddy! Ugh, every word out of your mouth pisses me off!" Grim hissed.
My face solidified in determination. "Now's our chance!"
Soon a familiar black cauldron dives from above to crush the monster to the ground.
"All right! It worked! Hey, look! The monster looks flat as a pancake just like Ace earlier!" Grim pointed.
I allowed a laugh by the nose, much to Ace's chagrin.
"Don't laugh! You don't need to bring that up again! Jeez, today isn't my day." Ace shook his head and groaned.
Deuce comes from the side. "Let's go get the magic stone while that thing can't move."
We rush into the mines, not paying heed to the monster's protests. We went down the path that brought us to the light and finally stumbled upon a jagged crystal glowing brightly in comparison to the dull gems around us.
I was the first to point it out. "There! A magic stone!"
From behind us we can hear the Faceless Monster recover, garbled voice reverberating in the mines and our souls.
We gave a start.
"Crap! That thing is almost free!" Ace said.
"Oi, Deuce! Throw some more stuff on it!" Grim told him.
"Eh, something heavy?! C-Come forth! Cauldron!" There came one black pot. "And, um, um, cauldron?!" Then another. "One more, cauldron!" And another.
The rest of us shook our heads, exasperated. "Do you have nothing but cauldrons in your arsenal?!" Ace exclaimed.
"Shut up! I'm at my wits' end here!" Deuce retorted.
Meanwhile I had successfully pulled the magic stone from its roots with little to no difficulty. "I got the magic stone! Let's get out of here!"
We make haste around the trampled monster and run into the Silent Woods.
"That. Is... MIIIIIINNNE!!" With a burst of vigor the Faceless Monster shook off all the cauldrons and flies for our fleeing shadows with surprising speed.
We look back in shock. This is so surreal the more I stay in this world! Grumpy is after our heads!
"You're kidding?! It knocked off all that stuff and came after us!" Ace exclaimed fearfully.
Deuce cursed. "Shoot, it's gonna catch up to us!"
"But it's weaker! Now we might do it!" I said, clutching the crystal securely.
"Aaah, fine! Let's finish it! Don't let me down, Mr. Serious!" Ace whipped his magic pen out.
Deuce braces himself. "You, too!"
"I'll show off my true power!" Grim assumed a battle stance.
We face off by the cottage in the Silent Woods. I sincerely hope we get this monster off our case. I don't know why it's so protective over this crystal, or its whole existence itself, but I know that our lives are all for the sake of this crystal that will save these two boys from expulsion.
Despite being roped into everything, I have to make the best of it. Up to now everyone has told me how I'm powerless without magic in a setting of magicians. I've grown exasperated by then, and it's only the first day!
I stand back to the safety of the sidelines. My hand grips the cool mineral surface of the soft glowing crystal. We're so close yet so far to making it back to the school.
Subconsciously, I reached to grasp the gold heart lock resting underneath my clothes. Sidney...
A ghost of a childish giggle chimes softly in my ears.
My eyes dilated.
What was that?
My bright blue irises roam the Silent Woods. Did I just hear a voice? But I don't see anyone out of the ordinary. None of the boys seem to have heard it either.
There came the giggling again. Yet I failed to detect the source. Was it just my imagination? Am I becoming delusional? The laughter seemed innocent and not malicious, but why would I be the only one to hear them?
Meanwhile Ace, Deuce, and Grim were fending against the Faceless Monster with their respective magic. Wind, fire, cauldrons... The monster was desperate to take back what was theirs. The three magicians struggle to resist.
I could only watch as the fight continues. If only there was something I could do...
["We've come to your aid, my liege..."]
...What?
A flash of light manifests on the ground before me. I shield my eyes until the white light died down. When I reopened them, I gasp at the sight.
In the shadow of the night, there appeared a vibrant chubby creature with stout legs who seems like a mixture between a dog and a cat. It was mostly blue with a bit of magenta pink and yellow with a white belly.
As I gaped in awe at the unfamiliar creature, our eyes locked on to each other. Something lured my gaze into its plus pupils. Suddenly a name clicked.
"Meow Wow..."
Said beast bounced a little, as though confirming its name in acknowledgement. I just heard a whisper tell me that. Could it be from this guy?
"You're...here to help? Can you really help defeat that monster?" I bent on my knees and asked, still in a daze from what's happening.
Meow Wow nodded and made a cute squealing noise excitedly.
I have no idea what's going on, but I know it's on our side. I mean, look how cute and colorful it is! There was also something awfully familiar about it, but I can't put my finger on it.
I slowly nod. "Okay. Go for it!"
Meow Wow's determination solidified and reciprocated my seriousness with a bob of its head before hopping around to face the monstrosity that is Grumpy.
The Faceless Monster growled. "Give baaack!!"
Meow Wow wiggles in place before bouncing. The Silent Woods bristled by the force that only grew stronger from each bounce. Meow Wow was growing bigger, too!
We staggered to our feet trying to remain standing.
"Whoa-! The earth's shaking!" Grim jumps almost a feet in the air every time the colorful beast bounces.
The Faceless Monster watches as the shadow cast by Meow Wow's massive body overwhelms it from above, blocking the light of the moon as it finally lands on top, squashing it flat beneath its mass.
We shield our faces from the dust clouds and wind spurred by the impact. Once it calmed down, we look onwards. Meow Wow almost reached the tip of the tallest trees in the woods!
Satisfied, Meow Wow deflates. Literally, as it leaves a trail of clouds and sparkles while darting and spiraling around the woods until it returned to its normal size.
The Faceless Monster laid limp on the ground.
Its glass bottle head tilted at an angle towards me, ink bleeding from the cracks like tears. It raised its jet black hand weakly to me, as though it could grasp me in its reach.
"Why..."
I was rendered speechless and confused at the same time. Why do I feel...remorseful?
It fades in jet black ink particles until only sooty remains blotted the ground it laid on.
We stared.
I blinked once. Twice. Could what I had felt just now be part of a misunderstanding? I'm not sure why that one question word had me at a loss. It was...sad, for a lack of words.
I shook the thought out of the window. Instead I spoke up, "I... I don't know what happened, but..."
Smiles bloomed across our faces. No nasty ink blots after our heads!
"W-We won... We actually won!" Grim said.
"All right!" "We did it!" "We're still in one piece!" I cheered.
"Victory high five!" Grim raised his paw.
"Yaaay!!" In the spur of our celebration we gave a high five between all four of us.
I laughed by the nose. "Heh, you guys are getting along well now." Just a moment ago they were bickering for their lives.
The three looked at each other, grins fading as they realized how buddy-buddy they were. They stand straighter and look away from each other.
"...Ah. N-No. This is nothing like that!" Deuce argued.
"Y-Yeah, yeah! Could you stop saying weird things?" Ace said, though he clearly looks embarrassed as any of them.
"W-We won thanks to my genius! It's not because we pooled our strength!" Grim tried to act tough, but the act failed.
We all smiled sheepishly.
"... I guess making excuses is pretty lame. I hate to admit it but we won thanks to your plan." Ace admitted to me.
"...True. We got the magic stone because you gave us level headed instructions. We can prevent our expulsion this way." Deuce breathes a long sigh of relief, anxiety leaving his shoulders. "...I'm so relieved."
I nodded. "It's a good thing everyone is all right."
My expression fell. "But what was that colorful creature?" I looked around. It must have disappeared when it deflated.
"Oh yeah, that cat...dog...whatever just came out of nowhere. It looked like it's familiar with you." Ace remarked. "You even gave it a name. What was it...?"
"Meow Wow..." Somehow that sounded embarrassing out loud. I quickly added, "I didn't give it a name. More like it told me its name."
"How does that work?"
I shrugged. "Telepathy, I guess."
Deuce quirked a brow at my direction. "Maybe you summoned it as a familiar? Then that would mean you do have magic to be able to summon one out of nowhere. But it also takes a lot of skill to even tame a beast..."
"Yeah, I doubt I'm as good as you make it sound. Plus, the Mirror of Darkness said I have no magic at all. It also looks out of place compared to Grim, assuming he's like a familiar..." I shook my head and gave up trying to wrap my head around Meow Wow's mysterious existence. What even is it? What are the rules of this world with magical monsters?
"Ugh, thinking too much after all that action is exhausting. And we're seriously worn-out and battered. Let's go home." Ace prompted.
"I'm starving from using so much magic..." Grim hung his head until he noticed something. He padded over to where the Faceless Monster was last seen. "Hmm? What's this?"
We walk up to where he stood and peered over. A black gem?
"Remnants from that monster?" Deuce's brows furrowed. "A magic gem...? But I've never seen one pitch black like coal before."
Grim sniffs it. "This thing smells really good..." What?
Ace looks at him incredulously. "No way!"
"This has to be candy the monster was hiding! Ooooh, I can't hold back! Time to dig in!" Grim eagerly swallowed the gem.
I can't believe it. "He actually ate it?!"
Grim's face contorted.
"Hey, you all right?!" Deuce asked, hovering over the cat.
"Aaah. That's why you don't eat things off the ground." Ace shook his head.
"D...D-D-D-D... Delicious!!"
We gaped. "Wha?!" That was an unexpected reaction.
"It's full-bodied but also rich, with an aromatic sweetness that blooms in my mouth... Like a whole field of flowers in my mouth!" Grim licked his lips. Wow, makes me wonder what it really tastes if I had Grim's tastebuds. What does a black Gusher gummy taste like?
Ace gagged. "Monsters really do have different tastes from us."
"...I guess so. But more than that... Most people wouldn't even put a mystery object in their mouth without a thought." Deuce shook his head and raised his hands, exasperated.
"This is Grim we're talking about... I wouldn't expect less from him." I sighed into my breath.
Meanwhile as we looked on with mild disdain, Grim was giggling. "Tasty, tasty! Don't worry, my stomach isn't weak like yours."
"Don't come crawling to me when you get sick later." I tell the gray cat, crossing my arms. From the corner of my eye, I detected something bright and colorful on the ground.
I parted from the boys to kneel and pick it up. A myriad of colors all in one little gem, a drastic contrast to the one Grim ate. The color reminds me of Meow Wow. That thing really was bright and colorful.
"What is it? Did you find another one of those tasty gems?" Grim asked eagerly, blue eyes sparkling.
I clenched it in my fist and slip the vibrant fragment away behind my nonchalant act of shoving my hand in my pockets. "No, just a pebble. Even then I don't want you eating something suspicious like that."
Grim pouted. He knows I'm hiding something, but I won't let him have it.
I stand to my full height. "Okay, let's go back and give the crystal to the headmaster."
...
We were back in the mirror chamber where the Mirror of Darkness and the floating coffins reside. Crowley had came just in the nick of time to inquire our whereabouts dead in the night. However, what he said after our goal surprised us.
"Eh?! You really went to Dwarfs' Mine to find a magic crystal?"
"Huh?!"
"I really didn't think... You'd not only go but then come back with a crystal in hand. I quietly completed the paperwork for your expulsion." Crowley admitted.
Wow, thanks. We just risked our asses and almost went through trauma as a bunch of high schoolers and a cat. Give me back my sweat and tears!
Grim made an angry noise. "The nerve of this guy! While we were off fighting some crazy beast!"
Crowley tilted his head slightly. "Beast?"
"There was a monster there!" Ace began, "It was super gross and crazy strong, it was awful!"
Crowley was now attentive. "Could you explain in more detail?"
We were then relocated to his office. I had tried not to stare too much at the seven floating mirrors featuring the Great Seven as we briefed our time at the Dwarfs' Mine. Literally their animated portraits from the movies are featured inside and I don't know how to feel about them. The fact that they actually show them or the fact that these villains actually once existed.
When we finished, we left out the Meow Wow portion as that was a whole other story. It's the middle of the night, we're tired, hungry, and dirty. We only gave him the details about our grumpy "friend" we "befriended" over the past couple of hours.
Crowley hummed. "A mysterious monster living in the coal mine. The four of you worked together to defeat it and bring back a magic crystal?"
"We didn't really work together..." Ace rubbed behind his head sheepishly.
"It was more like our goals were aligned..." Deuce said.
I was standing between them (because Great Seven forbid these two ever stand so close together as to touch shoulders before pigs start flying), rolling my eyes. These boys are never honest, especially with each other.
We watched as the headmaster trembled. He brought his clawed fingers to his masked face, hunched over his desk, and started ugly sobbing on us.
All four of us were astonished.
"What's with this guy? Why is an adult bursting into tears?!" Grim mumbled while atop my shoulder. I wonder if he's bipolar sometimes.
"In all these years that I've been headmaster... For the day that students from Night Raven College go hand in hand to face and defeat their enemy!" Crowley spoke through his tears, emotionally driven.
Deuce, however, didn't like how he phrased it. "What?! I did not hold this guy's hand!" He pointed to Ace.
I suppressed a snicker. Just imagining these two holding hands and skipping down the path of flowers and friendship is just too much. It was more of a one-legged race where the two are stuck together and have to cooperate one foot after another.
Ace made a disgusted face. "I would never do that, gross! But headmaster, how old are you?!"
True, I do wonder. He looks not too old. I'm betting at least 100 years. The pointy ears tells me he's not human, after all.
"I am overwhelmed with emotion. This incident confirms it. Noctowl-kun. Without a doubt, you have talent as a beast tamer!" Crowley suddenly exclaimed to me.
My eyes widen. How did the conversation move to me?!
I point a finger to myself dumbly. "Beast tamer?! I'm...actually down with that." It makes so much sense considering my affinity with animals and that Meow Wow from before. So there are other beast tamers in this world, huh? I wonder what they're like.
"Students of Night Raven College are budding wizards called here by the Mirror of Darkness. However, they are of a superior class that makes them prideful and egotistical people that have not even the slightest inkling to work with others. Making many of them selfish and self-centered." Said Crowley as a matter-of-fact.
"You're really not saying anything good." Grim deadpanned. Crowley's not wrong, though, but he's the headmaster, so he should have said something virtuous. That would have made me even more mad. At least he's not sugar-coating it.
Whether Crowley heard him or not, he continued as he looks directly at me, "You cannot use magic. But, maybe, precisely because you cannot use magic means that you could give instructions to wizards and get them to cooperate. Perhaps that mediocrity is exactly what this school needs right now!"
"Mediocrity"and "cannot use magic" arrows pierced through me. I wobble slightly in place and clenched my chest. I just took emotional damage...
Ace felt that and took pity on me for once. "He's not saying anything nice is he?!"
Despite that, Crowley continued with a smile, "I have no doubt that your existence is essential to the future of this academy. So says my educator-senses."
I reciprocate his smile with a look of confusion. To think my measly existence, scorned since birth, would give importance to others... What did his "educator-senses" detect to make him think that? I don't see myself as a unifying person, anyways.
"Trappola-kun. Spade-kun. Along with rescinding your expulsion," Crowley reverts his gaze back to me from the boys and says, "I shall give you the qualifications to attend Night Raven College as a student!"
All four of us were shocked. "Eeh?!"
"Even though I can't use magic?!" I said. How does that work?!
"Yes. For I am exceedingly gracious. But, there is one condition. As you've said, you cannot use magic. Becoming a wizard is out of the question. You probably will not be able to complete all your lessons."
He acknowledges the gray beast, "This is why, Grim. You have proven to me that you possess enough talent to become a wizard. Therefore, I shall allow the two of you to enroll together as one student."
"So basically I'll be the brains while Grim is the brawn..." I muttered more to myself. I suppose that makes sense since I'll have to depend on Grim to ward anything away with his magic. I don't like how I made that conclusion, to be honest.
Grim was in a daze. "I...I can go to this academy too...? Not as a handyman, but as a student?"
"Yes. However! You don't ever let an incident like yesterday occur again! Do we have an agreement?" Crowley sternly bored his sharpened yellow eyes through his raven mask.
Grim was tearing up. "We- We can..."
I cast a side-eye glance. "Let's do our best."
Grim's body shook as he lowered his head, only to leap in the air cheering, "I did it!!"
I catch him safely in my hands. Grim was grinning so widely his cheeks must be hurting. I'm just overjoyed I won't be designated as a handyman for the rest of my stay. Just when I dread scrubbing floors like Cinderella as a scullery maid, I don't have to worry anymore! Becoming a student is safer and sounds more fun in my opinion.
I shared the sentiment and held Grim to my eye level. "We've upgraded from janitors to being actual students."
Crowley smiles at our celebration. "Well then, I shall give the symbol of your status as a student of Night Raven College, a magic crystal, to Grim."
With a wave of Crowley's staff, a trail of sparkles lead to Grim and circle around his neck. A purple gem bordered by a gold intricate frame akin to the Mirror of Darkness is attached to his striped collar. It now rests atop his white chest fur. The gem looks like the magic pens the students have.
Grim and I admire the pretty shade of purple the gem is. Grim holds the gem in his paws. "Woah! A magic crystal?!"
"It is the norm for students to have their magic crystals in the form of a magical pen, but you wouldn't be able to grip it in your paws, right? It's a special custom. Aaah... I pay attention to even the smallest details! Aren't I too gracious?" Crowley sang.
"I did it! I'm so cool! I got my own special magic crystal collar!" Grim was gazing at his alternative magical pen with starry eyes, clutching it tightly as to never lose it forever.
"He isn't even listening at all..." Crowley mumbled before speaking to me, "Do you understand? As you can see, Grim is not accustomed to human society. It's up to you to take the rein and supervise him to prevent him from causing anymore trouble!"
I automatically nodded and answered, "Understood."
"Aha! Look at you. School's just started but you're already a supervisor?" Ace spoke from beside us.
"I see. There's only the two of you in your dorm... So if you've been entrusted with supervising Grim, that makes you a supervisor." Deuce then concludes to me.
Ace laughed in amusement. "Isn't that unheard of? For there to be a supervisor student who is unable to use magic."
He then nodded, a new light in his red eyes as he looked over me. I've never seen such an expression from him that it had me wordless. He must have finally acknowledged me as someone who can stand on their own without magic despite the odds against them.
It was...a relief.
"Nice. It's cool. A supervisor student who is unable to use magic!" Ace repeated in the end.
...Or at least that's what I hope to be the case. I swear, I'd be filthy rich if I hear the phrase "can't use magic". But...
My expression solidified with determination. I like the title. I'll prove everyone in the school just what a non-powered human can do.
I pumped my fist. "I'll do my best!"
Ace laughed again, this time entertained by my determination. "Good luck, Supervisor!"
"I see, a supervisor." Crowley held his chin thoughtfully. "I do have a work request, and having a title makes it very convenient... This is wonderful! Supervisor Noctowl-kin. I entrust you with this."
He placed a device on his desk for me to take. I walk over and inspect it. It appears to be a gold and brown antique Polaroid camera with lens surrounded by an all too familiar Mickey head design.
I stared. When did Disney become an Instagram icon?
"...This is nicknamed the 'ghost camera'." Crowley began.
I quirked a brow. "'Ghost'?" Does it take pictures of the supernatural?
"Ah, I think my grandma told me about that. It's a super old magic tool, right?" Ace remarked. He and Deuce had came closer to peer at the ghost camera in my dainty hands.
"It is not 'super old'..." The headmaster muttered before clearing his throat. "It's true this may have been invented during your great grandmother's, or great great grandmother's time." Then it is super old? What does "super old" mean in his book?
"There is a very special spell cast on it. It not only captures the subject's form, but also a part of their soul." He explained.
"A part of their soul...?" Deuce echoed.
"We call this 'Memory: A Fragment of Remembrance'. Furthermore, the most interesting part of this magic camera is that the souls of the photographer and the photographed become deeply connected and the Memory in the photo comes jumping out!"
Sounds interesting, but then I remember the Mirror of Darkness telling me how I don't even have a soul. My soul is nonexistent, apparently.
I was confused, though. "It comes jumping out?"
"Depending on how close the subject and the photographer are, the picture could move like a video or bring to life the situation in the photo. Fascinating, right?"
Huh. Then it was like how I had assumed? That the Memory would play out like in films?
"Bring the photo to life? It's like a ghost photograph!" Deuce said, amazed.
"Yes. Therefore it is called a 'ghost camera'. They say it was made before the time of videos for when people wanted to leave behind vivid memories... Spade was correct. In the past, people would scream 'ghost!' in surprise when the memory came jumping out. They were paralyzed with fear at the thought of having a photo taken with this camera." Crowley smiled in amusement.
"A camera for freaking people out..." Ace shook his head. To think there exists such a thing...
"Supervisor. Please take photos of Grim and the other students to leave behind many memories of your lives in this academy." Crowley requested.
Grim sang, "Take lots of cool photos of me~"
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah."
Crowley laced his fingers, rather solemn. "...Especially, always make sure to get 'Memories' when someone steps out of line. It's a most suitable way to report to me, right? Keep an eye on your surroundings and take memories as the supervisor. To generously give you a rare item that can be used by non-wizards... Does my graciousness know no bounds?"
Now that Crowley puts it like that, I'm actually excited to test this out. Considering how vintage this is, I'm positive Sidney would have loved it if he saw this.
My fingers lightly grasp the camera. "Thank you very much."
"Hey Strix, give it a test run." Ace told me excitedly.
"Yeah, why not commemorate the moment you and Grim officially became students?" Deuce suggested.
"If we're doing that, you two should be in the photo too. We should honor the fact that you guys were nearly expelled on your first day here~" A sly smirk crept my lips, widening especially after they flinched.
"I have to share the embarrassing memory with this guy, too? Gross." Ace gagged.
"The feeling is mutual." Deuce huffed.
"C'mon, Strix! Get a good shot! I better look cool in it." Grim ushered me.
"Alright, get close, everyone." I prompted, raising the ghost camera above for all four of us to fit inside the lens.
"Ready? Three, two, one..."
CLICK!
The photo is printed out.
"Ooh, I like it! You've done good, minion." Grim bestowed me words of praise that I don't care about.
"Wow, this is the first time I've seen you smile like that." Ace remarked. In the image, I had a close-eyed smile that would have appeared uncharacteristic if anyone had known me prior to the photo. I don't usually smile on a daily basis, mainly because it doesn't come to me naturally.
"It's for the photo, after all. I try to be accommodating for first time moments like this." I said with my expressionless face. "Trust me, I am smiling on the inside."
"That's really hard to believe, especially after meeting you this morning." Ace deadpanned.
Deuce was confused. "What do you mean?"
"Strix gets all mellow and has an irritated look in the eyes all day." Ace elaborated. "It makes the smile in the photo look fake after seeing that."
"I'm nocturnal. I operate better at dark hours." I shrugged. "At least my smile doesn't look suspicious like a certain someone's."
"My smile ain't suspicious. I prefer to call it 'charming' and 'alluring'." Ace insistently corrected, smug of himself.
Deuce looked closely. "Your eyes do look wider and awake than earlier in the afternoon when I met you."
"Let this be a lesson for you two when you interact with me." I warned them. "Don't mess with night owls when the sun goes down... Understand?"
The two, having known how merciless I can be at nighttime, unanimously agreed and tipped their chins once. "Yes..."
While this was going on, Crowley had dabbed away hidden tears beneath his mask with his handkerchief. "Beautiful, just beautiful. Now then, it is already late. Let's save the detailed conversations for tomorrow. Return to your dormitories, everyone."
"And Noctowl-kun, there is someone who wants to see you when you return to Ramshackle Dorm. He'll prepare you your uniform and necessities by the time the sun rises. You are a student now." He added.
I nodded. Despite him singing his praises of how kind and generous he is, I believe he does make attempts to accommodate my needs despite me being penniless. I don't think I'd meet someone as gracious as Crowley in my world, especially in these circumstances. "Thank you."
"Pardon our intrusion." Deuce excused on behalf of all of us as we leave.
The interior hallway of the second floor is devoid of life when we emerged from the headmaster's office. Once we were outside, Deuce drawled a long and heavy sigh. "Expulsion rescinded... I'm beat."
"Oh my, oh my..." Ace uttered, tired as well.
I drew a quick breath. Sometimes I might not even get the chance to relax in this world. To think all these events happened in just a day...
Meanwhile Grim skipped down the hallway and sings a merry tune. "I start as a student of Night Raven College tomorrow! I'm gonna leave you all in the dust and take the top spot!"
"You mean we, Grim. Remember, we make up one student, so your responsibilities are mine and vice versa." I stated. That means I have to up my game if I don't want to fail with a cat/raccoon, sadly.
Ace rolled his eyes and smirked at Grim. "You talk big for someone who is only half a full student..." He then shrugged, "Well, I guess it's fine."
"We're classmates tomorrow, Strix, Grim." Deuce said with a smile.
"Yeah, no more janitor duties. Now I'm obligated to have to see you guys at school, unfortunately." I said rather flatly as I acknowledged them with a deadpan.
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean? And why are you looking at me with that face now?" Ace retorted, taking offense to the disappointment pointed at him and him only.
Deuce stifled a chuckle. "That's true. Even if we don't want to, we're going to see each other everyday. I'm even in Heartslabyul with this jerk." He jabbed a thumb at Ace.
"Thinking about seeing your serious mug everyday, no thanks." The redhead bantered back.
Deuce furrowed his brows. "That's my line, truant Ace."
"Sure, sure. Almost-expelled-crybaby Deuce. Alrighty, see you tomorrow, Strix." Ace casually bid me farewell before he and Deuce parted to their dorm together.
Grim and I watch them leave.
When they were out of earshot, I mused aloud, "They might actually make a good combo."
"I think so too. They're the 'fight because they're so close' type. We better get back to the dorm!" Grim prompted.
"Tomorrow we aren't the handymen! Finally... Finally! Our bright and shiny academy life at Night Raven College begins!" Grim leapt up high pumping his paw in the air before climbing to my shoulder.
I nodded before making our way down the stairs and out the college. The cool breeze under the silver gleaming crescent moon lit our path to Ramshackle Dorm.
My dazzling eyes rivaling the blue moon looks ahead.
If the way back home will take a little longer, then I should take this opportunity to learn about this unknown world. A world where Disney villains are praised... I might just enjoy the magic behind Night Raven College despite the hurdles as a non-magic student, especially as the only female in this all-male school.
I've decided I won't let these things deter me. I just have to work with the uncooperative student body, whether they like it or not. I'll likely butt heads with some, but sometimes a little direct confrontation is what we need.
The story of my quest to return to my world will prove to be difficult, especially the more I become familiar with this world and its inhabitants.
I rested my fingertips on where my gold heart lock is hidden underneath my hoodie.
Sidney... Wait for me. I'll come home soon. Then maybe I'll even remember enough to retell the story of my adventures in Twisted Wonderland.
While climbing down the stairs, I failed to notice the colorful creature Meow Wow bouncing about atop the college's roof before disappearing in soft light.
Childish giggling sings from afar, as though welcoming me to this new world.
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Welcome to the Villains' World, Strix!
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..
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..
...
You, the noble and beautiful flower of evil, who blooms radiantly in the dark forest of fairytales... Realize your seat of authority. The game will soon begin.
But before that, the participants must be introduced. They are chained to their thrones by the darkness lurking in their hearts, weighed by the crown of deadly sins hiding the bruises on their heads that is their ego.
The stairway to the firmament world is a road of hellish flames. To overcome them is to prove the worth of your soul. Will it be enough to carry the crown above all crowns?
Only then will you be chosen to decide the ending of this twisted world and its inhabitants... And you, my lovely Lord.
If your heart is stolen, you cannot return.
For this is the world you wished for. A world that wishes for you.
Begin the Dive.
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Disclaimer: I do not own Meow Wow. The Dream Eater Spirits, designs and concept belongs to the Kingdom Hearts franchise. You don't need prior KH knowledge to enjoy the story since only the Dream Eaters are implemented.
You can think of them as Pokémon who have their move sets and natures. Or those Nintendo pet games where you can play and give them TLC.