Animals are marching in an eerily lit gorge.

Sitting from a cliff above a herd of hyenas is Scar. "The earth will rumble and a new era will begin."

"And what about us hyenas?" Shenzi, one of the hyena trio, asked.

"Listen to me first. We will kill Simba together with his father. And then I will be the king!"

"Great idea! All hail the king!" Banzai cheered.

"Long live the king!" The hyenas repeated.

"Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared. Be prepared!"

The earth beneath me quakes. It was then I realized I was standing on a stone slab atop of a geyser. I could only get on my knees and cling myself to the slab as I was suddenly shot up to the cliff where Scar once sat.

I leap for the cliff for stable land. After landing to my knees, I look over my shoulder to see the geyser had died down. Now I was kneeled before a pitch black den lit by torches on either side of the entrance.

I stood to my feet. Do I dare to venture inside the unknown?

Despite my silent pleas, no one came. Reluctantly, I took a torch as my only guiding light and tentatively enter. There was nowhere to go but move forward, after all, even in a dream.

I traversed through the dark stone tunnel. I would occasionally hear faint howls in the distance, thought I had hoped it was merely my imagination within a dream.

Past the tunnel from the gorge is an elephant graveyard.

Upon stepping out, I sense several pairs of eyes bored into me and turn to a pack of spotted hyenas perched atop the entrance. They move on the prowl for their prey.

I step back as they stalked closer. I can't be dreaming something so horrific as being eaten alive by hyenas, right?

Still possessing the lit torch, I held it in front of me. The hyenas paused, but continued as they knew there was strength in numbers.

I cursed under my breath before tossing the torch at the hyenas in front of me before making a mad dash out of the graveyard.

In this dream, the graveyard is like a maze of elephant remains and skeletons. I ran and ran while turning around several corners and random forks in the road.

I wound up facing a rib cage boned door whose gaps are too narrow for me to slip through. A dead end.

Or so I thought. It has a bulky gold lock in the middle. Another door that needs a key?

I desperately grabbed the barred door and gazed into the black abyss while shaking it. The door did not budge. From behind, maniacal, gleeful laughter echoes. The rocks in my environment suddenly close in on me.

My breath hitched. I swerved to bear witness to three hyenas creeping to my cowering form. They pounce.

I crouch and held my arms above my head with eyes squeezed shut. I had braced myself for jagged teeth to tear through my flesh when a lion's roar reverberated throughout the elephant graveyard.

Then everything felt light.

~~~~~~~

Hyena Chase

~~~~~~~

"Oi Strix! Wake up! Breakfast is already starting. Let's get going!" Grim called out, pouncing on my sleeping form under the blanket and bouncing when I haven't stirred the slightest.

I scrunched up. My mouth shaped into a perfect oval as I yawn and begrudgingly slipped out of the bed. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner, then..."

Grim sat on the foot of the bed where his prying eyes are elsewhere while I sluggishly changed into my uniform. "You didn't answer no matter how much I tried! Are you a heavy sleeper or somethin'?"

"I suppose..." I broke out into a yawn again. "You were sleep-talking a lot last night, though. Because of that, I feel like I couldn't sleep a wink..."

I was fully dressed as I left with Grim hitching a ride on my sagging shoulder.

"You gonna be okay climbing down the stairs?" Grim asked dreadfully as he peered at my bobbing head and barely peeled eyes.

"Most likely not." I replied while wobbling my way to the staircase. "I fell down the stairs a few times in the past, so it's no big deal for me."

"That's not something to be proud of, yanno..."

Grim hopped on the stair railing to avoid joining my tumble downstairs. Fortunately, I saved myself from a few trips over the steps and made it to the bottom on my two feet.

"You really gotta stay with me, Strix," Grim told me upon returning to my shoulder. He even patted firmly on my cheek a few times in attempts to keep me awake, though I giggled a little from his paw pads instead. You'd think the water would refresh my face, but nope!

When we arrived at Main Street, Grim spoke, "Oh yeah, did you go somewhere last night? You were gone when I woke up for the bathroom."

"Last night I..." I then retold my midnight encounter with the horned man who has a strange penchant for abandoned sites.

"He has these pretty pitch black horns and long, soft black hair, and his eyes were an intense green like the candle flames in the school... He was really beautiful." I finished. I could never forget his face. In fact, that was the real reason I couldn't truly get sleep. Aside from Grim snoring up the night, I couldn't rest after his face was ingrained in my mind running restless from the realization that he is very likely based on Maleficent.

An ethereal beauty of the night... I didn't really pay much attention because I was enamored by his mystique, but I think he had pointy ears. Crowley also has pointy ears, too. Are they of the same race? Maleficent was a faerie, right? Could that student also be a faerie?

However, Grim drawled, "Weeh. A weirdo with horns on his head. What's his name?"

"He told me to call him whatever I want." I replied. And I'd make sure he remembers he said that word for word. He made the call, and it was only polite for me to respond to that.

"Hmm, then... How about 'Tsunotaro'? If Tsunotaro is a student here we'll probably run into him at some point. You gotta introduce me. I've never seen a human with horns!"

I didn't process anything after the name. I was trying hard to suppress my laughter for the morning, but my shoulders were trembling a little.

I speak through my snickers, "'Tsunotaro'... That's good. I'll make sure to call him that next time I see him."

From behind, we hear Cater greet us. "G'mornin', Strix. You look like you're in a good mood."

I turn to face him. Riddle was also there, too. "Good morning. Grim told me a funny joke just now..."

Riddle squints and stepped closer to me, much to my confusion. "Hm. Your bow tie is a little off. Following the rules starts with your attire. Your dorm mates will not follow you if you look improper... Although, your dorm only has one other student."

"Ah, sorry... I was half-asleep." I cover my mouth from an incoming yawn as I feel my bow tie being straightened, courtesy of Heartslabyul's law-abiding queen. Still drowsy, I bend on my knees slightly to meet eye level with him, despite being only about an inch taller than him.

However, I failed to correct that notion as soon as I did. Upon opening my eyes, I slowly acknowledged the odd look in Riddle's gray pair. Suddenly, my brain rammed into a brick wall only to ceremoniously face plant into it.

Behind my brilliant poker face, my mind frantically scrambled to find a smooth way to pass that as natural. "Uh... I noticed you have that little crown on your tie." I point to the gold crown with a heart engraved inside that was pinned to the flap of his bow tie. "Isn't that the same one you wore for your dorm uniform?"

Riddle released my bow tie after it had already been fixed and glanced to the pin. "Yes, it is. And...?"

I stand straighter to full height and gave a close-eyed smile that hopefully doesn't appear awkwardly stiff. "Just wondering. Ace and Deuce aren't with you?" I then asked to change topic.

Riddle eyes me unusually before replying, "In accordance with Laws of the Queen of Hearts: Number 249, they are currently feeding the flamingos dressed in pink."

I visualized A-Deuce wearing pink and internally grinned mirthfully. It's almost comical imagining them in pink.

"By the way," The redhead's expression became grave, "there was another accident last night."

Grim and I widen our eyes, the former gasping. "Really?"

"According to the portrait that witnessed it, the victim was a second year from Scarabia Dorm." Cater tells us, "Jamil Viper. It apparently happened in the kitchen."

"These portraits are like security cameras..." I mumble more to myself. In fact, we should try asking them if they see anyone pulling the strings behind these accidents, snickering at their victims' downfall.

"Since it's still breakfast time, they're probably in the cafeteria. Let's go check." Riddle said.

We made our way to the cafeteria and try to search for the person apart from the mass of students.

"Umm, Jamil has dark skin and long, black hair... Oh, there he is!" Cater spots the Scarabia student sitting with a boy with a turban. I think I saw him before from a distance. That turban boy is actually easy to identify with how arguably loose he wears the uniform under a beige cardigan.

We approach Jamil.

"Yo. You're the guy that got hurt in the kitchen yesterday? Tell us about it." Grim spoke up.

"Huh? Who in the world are you guys?" Jamil eyes us.

However, his turban friend said otherwise. He exclaimed loudly, "Ah-! This raccoon's the one that set my butt on fire during the entrance ceremony!"

Riddle sent a stern look over to the cat now squirming in my arms as I silently drilled my knuckle into his skull. I was mumbling under my breath how he'll no longer be fed tuna cans for the next month if he continues to talk like that again under my discretion. Looks like all the lecture I had gave him last night went in one burning ear and out the other.

"Grim. It would do you well to watch how you talk to people." Riddle then says to the Scarabia duo, "We're sorry for bothering you while you're eating."

"The dorm head of Heartslabyul and the wild raccoon from the ceremony." The turban boy laughs heartedly. "This is a funny combo."

"I ain't no raccoon! I'm the great Grim! And this here is my underling."

"Bold words coming from a raccoon whose life is literally in my hands," I quipped lowly at the gray monster who flinched in my arms. I heaved a silent sigh at his ego before nodding to Scarabia. "I'm Strix Noctowl."

Jamil glanced to his fellow dorm mate. The dazzling sparkles in his garnet red eyes as he stared at me was alarming.

The boy in a turban suddenly shot up from his seat, startling all of us in the process. A wide childish grin stretching from ear to ear was plastered as his scarlet red eyes peered into my bright blue ones.

He leans forward excitedly. "Wow~! Your eyes are so pretty! Like sapphires!"

I flinched slightly. I know he was genuine and nothing ill behind it, but I never take compliments about my eyes well. In fact they have the opposite effect.

Being praised about my eyes only reminds me of the alienation I suffered in my home world. No one aside from Sidney and Caelum liked them. They were seen as cursed, lifeless eyes of a heartless monster who felt nothing, even at the death of her own mother from childbirth. I hated my eyes because of that. I'd trade for a normal brown eye color full of life for these blank blue slates.

I mustered a strained smile for this reason no one would have assumed to be the case. "Th-Thank you..."

"Kalim, you're too close." Jamil pulls him back by the shoulder to give me space.

"Haha, my bad, my bad. I'm Kalim, the dorm head for Scarabia. This is the vice dorm head, Jamil. Nice to meet ya." Kalim smiles amiably.

"Y-yeah. This guy's kinda carefree." Grim whispered to me. I wouldn't think Kalim was ever a dorm leader, no offense. He's rather free-spirited, a drastic difference from Riddle, a fellow dorm leader.

"...And? Why do you want to know about my injury?" Jamil asked.

"The headmaster asked us to look into it." I told him, though it was actually Grim and I until Heartslabyul caught onto it. Honestly, I'm grateful we have more hands willing to lend help.

"The headmaster did? Well, I don't see what harm it could do." Jamil then said, "Last night I was in the kitchen making fried buns with lamb meat per Kalim's request."

"Jamil's fried buns are the best! You guys should come try it sometime." Kalim chirped. Damn, I haven't had breakfast yet and now I'm craving for whatever tasty food is spoken.

Jamil sent a firm look to the dorm leader. "Kalim, we're getting off-topic."

"Ah, my bad, my bad."

Jamil continues, "While I was finely chopping the ingredients, for some reason my hand slipped and I cut myself." Ouch.

"Jamil is so good with a knife even the head cook was blown away. Were you tired from Magift practice?" Kalim inquired.

"No. Not so much that my hand would slip like that. However, while I was cooking, for a moment I felt my consciousness slip away."

"Were you dizzy?" I asked.

"Most would probably think so but... I've felt that sensation before. My guess, it was someone's unique magic."

Everyone's eyes widen. Unique magic. Of course!

"Oh yeah, your unique magic is-" Before Kalim would continue, Jamil clamped a hand over his mouth.

We watched as Kalim's muffled sounds were blocked by Jamil.

Kalim releases his breath once Jamil removes his hand. "Why'd you cover my mouth?"

"We're not talking about me right now." The vice head scolded the pouty Kalim before reverting to us. "Anyway, I think they used magic to control the movements of others."

"I see now. That's why everyone just thought people were being careless." Cater said.

"And since it was only for a moment, those who were injured would mistake being manipulated for being careless as well. Even when I fell on the stairs, I didn't feel like someone had controlled me to do so." Riddle said.

"Trying to find that magic... This just became expert difficulty. What should we do?" Cater wonders.

"Magic to control people... Ah! If I could do something like that, I'd make everyone give me all of the bread in school everyday!" Grim makes a realization we don't care about.

"I'm glad you don't have that, then." I remark.

"Take all the bread... Couldn't you think of something a little more grand?" Riddle deadpanned. Unfortunately this is Grim we're talking about. His head is nothing but food.

"Then I could eat all the deluxe minced meat sandwiches I... Huh?"

I then recalled something about that time when Grim traded that sandwich with Ruggie. Wait, if my doubts back then were true, then...

Grim suddenly screamed at the realization, startling everyone in the circle.

Kalim eyes the raccoon in bewilderment. "What the?! You're suddenly shouting."

"I-I know! I know who has that unique magic!" Grim cried.

Riddle's eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"

"The culprit is among us!" I said, to which the boys look at my straight-laced face incredulously.

Meanwhile Grim laughs, "Now that it's come to this, you leave me no choice... Yes, the culprit is I— ...Is this really the time to be joking, Strix?!"

"You almost turned into some supervillain, you know." I remark, a smirk lifting my lips.

Grim shook his head to shake off the act and said, "The culprit's Ruggie! The guy from Savanaclaw with the brown ears!"

"Let's catch him and ask directly." Riddle said.

Cater searches up his intel on his phone. "Umm... Ruggie Bucchi is in class 2-B."

"Thank you both for your help!" Riddle nods gratefully to the Scarabia pair.

"Sure. I'm not sure what's going on, but good luck!" Kalim waved as we leave to head for the classroom.

"We're intruding!" Grin cried out when we entered. "Where is Ruggie Bucchi!"

"Ye~s." Said student was here, approaching to the entrance only to groan at our familiar faces. "...Ugh, it's you guys again. No matter how many times you ask, I can't give you the deluxe minced meat sandwich back."

Riddle stepped forward. "Ruggie Bucchi. We would like to ask you a few things about the string of accidents involving players that have been occurring around campus."

The hyena's grin fell at our more serious expressions. "Uh-oh... That doesn't sound like a pleasant convo."

"Could you come outside with us?" Cater smiles, however his eyes never once leave the second year.

"I got it. So please knock it off with the threatening aura." Ruggie heaved a sigh.

We move to the interior hallway. I hear Riddle mumbling about using his unique magic on Ruggie.

However, Ruggie's sharper senses heard this. "What's this now? Riddle. Are you all right to use that kind of strong spell without your magical pen?"

"Eh?" Riddle's hand shot up to his breast pocket, only to grasp nothing. "...Wh-What?! My magical pen is gone!"

"Hey, Cater! Your pen's gone too!" Grim told him.

"No way! Seriously?!"

My eyes widen. Did Ruggie steal them? How?

Ruggie snickers. "You were all raised with a cushy life, huh? Your pockets are ripe for the picking. It wasn't a challenge."

Grim was shocked. "Wha?! When did he use the spell to take your magical pens?!"

"Oh no. It was easy enough without magic! I don't have any more time to kill with y'all so I'm just gonna make my exit! Bye-bye." Ruggie sang before he ran away with two pens in tow.

"Hey! Stop right there!" Grim shouted.

"Give those pens back!" I follow Ruggie without waiting another second, ignoring Cater and Riddle's cries.

Soon I was joined by A-Deuce.

Ruggie looks back. "Do some first years and a raccoon really think they can catch me? You all look really lame now, shishishi!"

"Mmkyaa! I ain't no raccoon!" Grin hissed.

"Leave that for later! C'mon!" I told the monster.

And so, the chase for Ruggie was on. Passerby would cling to the walls as they watch us zip through the hallway and the boys casting magic to try to stop the hyena in his tracks. However, as expected of a Savanaclaw student, he has more agility and stamina compared to the average human.

"H-How's this!!" Deuce summons a cauldron that Ruggie barely avoided, startling him. It's been a while since we saw the black pot return.

"Whoa?! That actually took me by surprise... But taking a good look at you, that was the last trick up your sleeve, huh." Ruggie smirked.

I panted for breath and uttered, "Think again! Meow Wow!"

Said Dream Eater bounces into view.

Ruggie's eyes widen at the sight of it about to land on top of him. He quickly leaps just before he would be flattened like a pancake under Meow Wow. Damn him and his instincts.

"What the-?! A familiar?! It doesn't look like the sharpest tool in the shed, though..."

Meow Wow turns and bounced for me instead, a cheerful glint in its plus shaped pupils.

I frantically gestured to the opposite direction where Ruggie is. "Not now, Meow Wow! Catch Ruggie! I'll play with you next time!"

The urgency in my tone stopped the spirit from its tracks. It tilts its head curiously.

"We're playing tag! We're 'it'! You're to tag Ruggie! Now go!"

Meow Wow spun to face Ruggie and starts propelling towards the hyena who was already running while A-Deuce and Grim continue to chase his tail.

We follow him into the courtyard.

"A-Deuce! Duck!" I shout.

Said duo looks back to see Meow Wow making a grand leap to their direction and yelped as they swiftly avoided being tackled by the chubby spirit.

Ruggie was not spared the same. The moment he looked over his shoulder, he was tackled to the floor by Meow Wow. His grip on Riddle's and Cater's magical pens had slipped and clattered to the ground in front of him.

"Ah-! Stop! Get off me!" Ruggie's protests were drowned by Meow Wow's affectionate but slobbering licks over his face.

We finally caught up to the flailing Ruggie with sagging shoulders and heavy pants dripping from our lungs. I've been running in both my dreams and reality more often than I should these days.

"Good job, Meow Wow." I praised as I went to retrieve the pens. Then I loomed over Ruggie's pinned position courtesy of my ever adorable spirit.

Stormy gray eyes peeked open to peer up at my illuminating blue ones glowing under the shadows. Ruggie stilled on the ground. He smiles awkwardly in contrast to my stern frown.

I stood straight and dismissed Meow Wow. Ruggie wipes his face with his folded sleeve and sits up. We made sure to surround him if he had any funny ideas of slipping away again.

"Had enough fun? What's the big deal with injuring students?" I interrogated.

"Whoa, before the Q and A, how're you gonna prove that I'm the culprit?" Ruggie stands to full height and dusted the dirt off his uniform.

Deuce's eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"

"I mean, you don't have any evidence that I was the one who injured them. Did anyone see me use magic? Did you get any pictures of it? You haven't, right?"

Ace bit an indignant squawk. "T-That's..."

Ruggie's right, though. While we did see him use his unique magic on Grim, how can we convince everyone else without proof?

I stared. "Then, how about we have Riddle put his collar on you right in front of the headmaster, and have someone not from Savanaclaw surveillance you? If for the next few days there are no accidents, then it's not implausible to suspect you were the culprit."

The hyena's ears twitched. They fall flat as Ruggie slowly meets my unblinking blue eyes.

A uncharacteristically antagonistic smirk rivaling Ace's was on my lips. "If you're so confident you weren't responsible, then you wouldn't have stolen Riddle's and Cater's magic pens knowing fully well you'd be immobilized."

I let that sink in before continuing nonchalantly, "Well, I'll be sure to bring my camera frequently. Thanks for taking your time with us. You're free to leave now."

I ignored the wary glance sent my way. Ruggie crossed his arms behind his head and moves past A-Deuce to leave the courtyard without another word. One may notice how his steps were not light.

When he was out of earshot, Ace cursed, "Damn it! He pisses me off!"

Deuce drooped. "Dorm Head Rosehearts is gonna have our heads..."

I softly sighed. Of course it didn't go as easy as we planned. As if the culprit would obediently comply to answer our questions truthfully.

"You all still haven't learned your lesson?"

Jack approached our group.

Ace scowled. "What— You should've helped instead of just watching. Your dorm senpai's a total bad guy, y'know?"

"Why are you working so hard for other people's sake?" Jack asked.

"For other's sake?" Deuce repeated.

"I understand wanting to get back at the culprit for the people who go hurt but..."

Ace quirked a brow. "Huh? What're you talking about?"

Jack looks at them confused. "Eh?"

Ace smirked. "Who said anything about doing this for other people's sake?"

"We simply want to prove our worth by catching the criminal." Deuce said.

Ace nodded. "Yeah yeah. Then get picked for the Magical Shift Tournament. And show off for the whole world."

"I'm gonna catch that guy then be on the big screen!" Grim piped.

"I feel bad for Trey, but we'll take his place in the spotlight." The orange haired male said.

Jack glanced to me.

I twirl a strand of my dark blue hair. "The headmaster assigned me to investigate or else it's goodbye free food."

Jack huffed. "I can't trust guys who just do things for others but... You guys are worse than I thought." We are in a villain school.

Ace shot a pointed look at the wolf. "What. You're worse than us, dude. By the looks of it, you knew about it all along, didn't you? That Ruggie is the culprit."

"Oh! Yeah. You knew that since you're in the same dorm you 'wouldn't be targeted'?" Grim said. Jack did mumble something about that when we first confronted him. That's what he meant by.

Jack stared with unwavering golden eyes. "...Hey, you lot. Duel with me."

"Haah? What's gotten into you?" Ace uttered in disbelief.

"If guys are gonna spill their guts, they start with their fists. If you can show me you're not all bark and no bite, I'll tell you everything I know."

"Geh. I hate getting all sweaty." Ace scrunched up in distaste.

In comparison, Deuce was raring to go. "I don't hate that kind of thinking. Makes things simple!"

"Fgna?! Deuce's bad-boy switch has been flipped!" Grim exclaimed.

I internally groaned. Why does it always turn out like this?!

"Well," I dully began, "We need to get the info out of Jack, so... You're up, A-Deuce."

"Eeh? This is where you try to stop us from fighting, Supervisor." Ace said, emphasizing on my title. He was hoping I'd do something to spare them the energy.

However, he reluctantly accepts Jack's challenge and joins Deuce in exchanging fists, the only odd man out of the three to be motivated.

I sigh and lean against the apple tree safe from the brawling. I don't understand how men function sometimes. They're the type to never back down simply because someone asked them to. Why can't they just put their pride aside for a moment and make my life easier?

"You're sleeping even now?!" I hear Ace exclaim at my direction, however I was already in a deep sleep. Meanwhile, Grim had climbed from my head to the tree and grabbed a red apple to munch on. Team Ramshackle is not involved in this nonsense, I say.

Several minutes have passed since I slept. I rubbed my eyes open and see the three boys facing each other with slightly hunched shoulders. They look like they fought a long thousand battles but have yet to win the war.

Jack pants for breath. "...Y-You definitely know what you're doing with your punches..."

"You too... You're pretty good..." Deuce said through his huffs and puffs for air.

Grin had settled on my shoulder.

"Your punch has sent a shockwave to my heart..." Grim placed a paw to his chest, having felt the drive behind Jack's knuckles resonate to him.

"...Haven't you all gotten just a little too caught up in this? I don't care about being picked... I'm done..." Ace mutters in the end, too drained.

"You guys are a mess." I simply remarked and took in their battered, disheveled state. Now, let's link hands and run off into the sunset with a sense of unity formed between boys and their one-tracked brains.

Jack nods firmly. "...All right. Now that we've settled this, I'll tell you everything that I know."

Ace deadpanned, unamused. "What exactly did we settle, man..."

"The conflict that's been raging in my heart. Since I'm practically betraying my own dorm." Jack replied before continuing vigorously, "But I can't put up with this anymore!! The real essence of a fight is winning by pure effort no matter how tough it gets. I've put myself through the wringer to see how far I can go in this tournament. Cowardly tricks make me want to puke! What meaning is there in a victory like that? I wanted to to use my own power to claim victory at the top!" He clenched his fists.

"Ah, this guy's a pain in the ass." Is what Ace concluded after the speech.

"So it's not because you can't forgive injustice. You're doing this for yourself, too." I flatly stated. It sounded nice in the beginning but it really boils down to "Those damn cheaters are screwing the whole system for me! Screw them!"

"I get it! I really get it!! That feeling!!" Deuce responded to Jack's words with a sense of emotional unity. Does he really get it, though? I feel like we're all on different pages here.

"We've got our own pain in the ass." Grim deadpanned.

Having released his pent up frustrations, Jack calmed down and said, "Ruggie-senpai's unique magic is...something that makes another person move exactly like him. To cause the accidents he made people move in ways that would only look like they weren't being careful."

Ace crossed his arms. "I see. That's how he managed to trade Grim's bread for his without looking suspicious back in the cafeteria."

"I knew my doubts were not betraying me..." I mutter, relieved to know pigs were not going to fly at any point.

Grim stomped from his perched place on my shoulder. "Damn it! Hearing that incident again pisses me off! Grudges over food are to be feared, yanno!"

Deuce furrowed his brows. "But, wait... Wouldn't it be suspicious if he started pretending like he fell down the stairs near the target?"

"It's not like Ruggie-senpai was acting alone during all those incidents. I bet most of Savanaclaw is in on it." Jack said.

I frowned. The dorm itself is on board with the scheme?

Jack continued, "Like you said, Ruggie would stand out if he was acting weird by himself. So the other residents act like a wall for him and provide cover."

"The dorm is in on it... Why would they?" Deuce asked.

Ace hummed. "How well your team does in the Magical Shift Tournament can have a big impact on your future, right? So I can't say I don't understand their feelings."

Jack bared his canine set of teeth and growled vehemently at the male just like an actual wolf. Damn, he didn't take that well.

Ace flinched and leaned back. "Wah, scary. Don't bare your fangs at me. I'm kidding."

The Savanaclaw student sniffed. "Hmph! The now comes before the future. There's no point if you don't show what you can do now. And I really can't stand the dorm head, Leona Kingscholar. That guy is amazing but he never gives it his all."

"True, that guy looked lazy but he was crazy strong." Grim attested.

"Right?! He's so powerful, so why doesn't he use it?! I hate his type the most. The plays that Leona-senpai did in the tournament three years ago were really amazing. That's why when I entered this school... After I joined Savanaclaw, I thought I'd be able to play Magift with him for real..."

Ace shuffles over to me and whispers, "Hey... Strix. Even though it seems like he's just complaining about his dorm head..."

I sheepishly smile and replied quietly to him, "He might actually look up to him..."

"The incidents so far might seem inconsequential but I'm sure they've got their sights set on something bigger." Jack said.

"Something bigger?" Deuce inquired.

"The dorm head of Diasomnia, Malleus Draconia. That guy is a monster on the field and led Diasomnia to victory two years in a row. Because of that, Savanaclaw lost in their first match without scoring a single point. All the older guys hold a grudge for that."

Dorm head Malleus Draconia...?

Suddenly the image of the man with horns flashed. Since Riddle reminds me of the Queen of Hearts and Leona as Scar and they're both dorm leaders of their respective dorms, then would that Maleficent guy actually be him? That would be...interesting.

While I put the pieces together, Deuce said, "Losing without scoring at all... That has to be frustrating for a dorm that's usually at the top..."

"Yeah. They were humiliated while the whole world watched. They're trying to retake their glory. But with underhanded methods." Jack said.

"So they're planning to do something to Diasomnia the day of the tournament?" Ace spoke up.

"That's right. So I'm gonna crush that plan!" Jack declared.

"Thank you for telling us all of this."

It was Riddle who had revealed himself and entered the conversation along with Cater.

"Dorm Head Rosehearts, Diamond-senpai."

Riddle frowns. "To think that they would trample on such a traditional event, unforgivable."

"What do we do? Riddle." Cater asked.

"We can't apprehend Ruggie right now because we lack proof. We're dealing with the sharp-witted Leona-senpai. I doubt that we'll get them to confess smoothly."

"In other words, we have to go after them at the scene of the crime?" Ace spoke.

"I have an idea. First..."

"Wait. I just shared information with you, I've no intention of teaming up." Jack spoke.

"Ehh. You're saying that now?" Cater sweatdropped.

"I'll handle my own dorm's problems by myself. See ya." The wolf turns to leave.

However, I told him, "What do you think you can do alone?" It was nothing of hostile meaning behind it. I simply wonder if he really thinks he can go solo against 200 or more brawny students.

Jack paused in his tracks and turns to me. "...Hah?"

Grim flinched. "Th-There it is again... Prefect's sharp tongue..."

"It's true that your chances of winning against a whole dorm are very slim." Deuce attested with me.

"If you really want to stop them, let's work together." I tell Jack. Smart wolves hunt as a pack, after all.

Sharp golden eyes meet my unwavering blue pair. Jack was silent until he crossed his arms, "...Very well. I'll listen to what you have to say. But. If I don't like your plan, I'm out."

"This guy is seriously a pain..." Ace mumbles.

"Stubbornness is your specialty though, Acey~" Cater smiles.

Riddle speaks, "Then, continuing what I said earlier. First..."

After hearing his plan, we came to agree with the idea.

"I see. Let's go with that." Ace grins.

I nodded. "No problems here."

Deuce smiled. "As expected of Dorm Head Rosehearts."

"All right, I'll be running around getting stuff done until the day of." Cater said.

Riddle nods to the ginger. "I'm counting on you. Make sure to not draw suspicion."

Cater looks to the Savanaclaw student. "And? Now that you've heard Riddle's plan, what'll you do, Jack? You in?"

"...It's not a cowardly plan." Jack contemplates before clearing his throat and standing straighter. He tipped his chin at an angle, away from us however. "...I'll help you out, this time."

"This guy isn't honest at all." Grim said, seeing through his tough guy act. I think it's cute how this macho lone wolf is a tsundere, though.

"Let's go back to the dorms for now. Ahh, I'm so beat." Ace rubbed his neck.

"I'm getting hungry, too." Grim said.

Riddle suddenly remembers something. "Oh, that's right. First years. Since it was in the name of gathering information I will overlook your breaking school rule number six, 'Personal fights are strictly prohibited on school grounds', but... Next time it will be off with all of your heads." Gray eyes flared passively. "Understood?"

This may be the first instance we ever see the strict dorm leader be this composed to not have yelled our ears off. That's scary in itself.

A-Deuce and Grim slumped their shoulders, unable to meet Riddle in the eyes. "Yes. We're sorry."

Jack's guilty conscience may be weighing him as he rubbed the back of his head and mumbled a quiet, "...Yessir."

I had been quiet for the most part, but I guess I'm spared? I certainly did not engage in any personal fights. A part of me wanted to apologize as well, though.

"Very good. Then, let us head back to the dorm."

"Ah, wait. Your magical pens." I return the pens to the two Heartslabyul residents who thanked me before taking their leave.

As they left, Jack whispers to Ace, "I thought he looked like a weakling, but your dorm head is terrifying."

Ace was quick to agree. "I know, right. He's easy to mistake for a hedgehog but he's actually got the quills of a porcupine. It's best not to disobey him."

Having heard them, I sheepishly chuckle. "Let's do our best when the tournament day comes."

A part of me was looking back on the dream from this morning. Just like the hyena chase, we had to chase Ruggie. The hyenas working with Scar to carry out his plans... Is Leona the mastermind behind all this? More importantly, if we're going by how the dreams led to Riddle's Overblot transformation, would Leona be a potential target?

The prospect seemed too real and plausible that it was almost certain to become true.

I glance into the distance. The sky is partly cloudy today.

"'Be prepared', huh..."

After bidding everyone goodbye for the day and parting ways, Grim tells me we should go to the cafeteria and fill up our stomachs. I too was feeling famished and head to the cafeteria with Grim in tow, the feeling in my gut stirring among my hunger.

'I sure hope we will be.'