I do not own Ever After High or Kamen Rider Ryuki.
Knights of the Otherworld
By Ten-Faced Paladin
Chapter 8: The Rhino Knight and the Tower Princess
Today's chapter focuses on the smallest of the knights, Gabriel Lighthart. The next Galahad of the Round Table.
He may be the smallest of the knights, but anyone can see that he has one of the biggest hearts.
And he's so keeewt!
(***)
Ever After High - Library
Gabriel whistled a tune to himself as he was coming through the front doors of the library. His arms were loaded down with boxes of what looked like tech devices for computers and some recording equipment. The boxes were so tall, they reached above his head. The only way he could see was because of a gap formed by Gabriel meticulously stacking the boxes together so he could see where he was going. Walking past the front desk, Gwen, who was on desk rotation that day, blinked when she watched the shortest of their group pass her by.
"Restarting the channel, Gabe?" she asked, eyeing her small friend.
"Yep!" Gabe beamed as he carefully walked by the desk. "Finally saved enough gold to start getting the equipment I need to start streaming again."
"Do you even have a computer?" Gwen blinked.
"Packed one up with me for camp," Gabriel answered with a grin.
"Cool. Have fun," Gwen nodded, returning to the novel she was reading to pass the time between customers.
Gabriel nodded and headed up to the second floor of the library where the private study rooms were located. Making sure it was properly reserved, he set the boxes inside before he ran down to the dorm where his bags were stashed. Retrieving his laptop bag, he raced back up to the study room before making a flurry of unpacking boxes and pulling out the equipment he was going to need.
Technically, Gabriel could have started his channel with just his laptop, but anyone who knew tech could say that for someone who wanted to make a serious stream, they needed the best equipment in order to produce a quality product. Of course, Gabe didn't splurge since he had only been working at the library for only a few weeks. Still, he didn't want junk to work with, so he saved his money and waited until he could afford some quality equipment. Once he began pulling up revenue from his new streams, he'd be able to spring for better gear.
Gabriel tinkered and set up the camera, microphone, headphones, and the various things he felt he needed in order to make a quality recording and/or livestream. Once it was set up, he retrieved his laptop from the bag and began plugging everything. He was admittedly excited since he had researched popular games in Ever After and had already gotten one to prepare to do a livestream of his first run on it.
"What are you doing?" asked Kyle, who had seen come in through the door. He leaned against the frame, watching Gabe work at his setup.
"Getting ready to start streaming again," Gabriel replied, finishing his plugs. "It cost me nearly all the gold I saved, but it'll be worth it."
"Especially with all that sweet ad revenue," Kyle chuckled. "Couldn't you have just tried to raid all that gear from the Mirror World?"
"Tried to. I thought since everything was inorganic, it'd be okay," Gabe admitted. "They all dissolved nearly ten minutes later."
"Bummer," Kyle lamented. "So, what's the first video that's going to be on your new MirrorTube channel?"
"Something basic, but a reboot of a classic apparently," Gabriel shrugged. "They call it 'Super Charmio Brothers'." Kyle snorted and Gabriel grinned. "Yeah, I know. Still, it's what is getting attention right now so it's what I'm going to play." Getting situated in a chair, Gabe reached for the power button, "And here we gooooo!"
Gabriel hit the button and the laptop's screen lit up. As the computer turned on, the various devices connected to it came to life as various lights came on to show they were operaring. Gabriel began to grin and cracked his knuckles to prepare to game and record, but a zapping noise caused him and Kyle to freeze. The screen began to swim and fluctuate in a rainbow of colors. Kyle grimaced and yanked Gabriel out of the room by his arms before the laptop exploded in a haze of rainbow-colored smoke.
"Ahhhhhhhh!" Gabriel screamed, realizing what had happened as he sat up. "My computer!"
"Wow…" Kyle grimaced. "What the hex happened?"
Gabriel dove back into the room, waving the smoke out, but he wailed as he saw the computer's screen had blown out and it was clear that the machine was never going to function again. Gabriel let off a wail as tears streamed down his face. The only thing which kept it from getting worse was that the other devices he just bought had survived the explosion somehow.
"Is that despair I hear?" Merlin walked onto the scene, calmly drinking a cup of tea. He eyed the destruction and blinked, "Wow. What happened here?"
"Uh…" Kyle looked at the sobbing Gabriel and then back to Merlin. "Gabe bought some stuff to start streaming games and when he hooked them up to his laptop, the thing exploded."
"Ooooh, yeah, not the best idea," Merlin grimaced. "Our tech looks and acts a lot like yours back home, but it's all made and coded with magic. It's why I had you all get Mirrorphones after you all decided to stay. Your tech and magic just don't mix."
Kyle winced, "And you couldn't have warned us sooner?"
"No one asked," Merlin shrugged. "Wish you kids came to ask me for advice on things like this."
"Waaaaaaahhhh!"
(***)
Ooooh, poor Gabe! Don't cry, little guy!
Brooke, Sir Gabriel is a young man, not a small child.
Oh, come on Mom! Look at that little face!
(***)
Ever After High - Front Walk
"Uuuuuugh," Gabriel groaned, almost having a cloud of gloom hover over his head as he walked towards the school with Kyle and Tristan.
"Gabe, cheer up. You can just save up for a new laptop, right?" asked Tristan.
"Yeah, but the one I had was customized with my dad. It was so tricked out I could have made a stream at camp!" Gabriel groaned.
"Why did you even bring it? Didn't the camp say they were trying to be low-tech?" asked Kyle.
"I was going to do a camp series of videos for my channel," Gabriel replied. "I'd stash the computer somewhere safe and just record stuff on my phone through the day."
"Couldn't you just do that from your phone itself?" asked Tristan.
"Yeah, if I wanted it unedited and crappy," Gabriel snarked.
"Man, maybe you lucked out when we got pulled here. I'm sure some punk would have tried to steal your laptop if they found out you brought it with you," Kyle shook his head. "Some people our age are just brats and think they can get away with it."
"...I would have kept it safe," Gabriel muttered back, not wanting to admit Kyle had a point.
The boys approached the school and they headed for the front doors. As they walked, Tristan looked around and spotted something different about their surroundings, "Uh, is it just me, or is everything a little more…lovey dovey?"
Kyle and Gabriel blinked and looked around at the other students. At first, it just seemed like everyone was mingling and enjoying their mornings before class started. On a closer inspection, so many of the students were in fact couples. They were cuddling, holding hands, laughing together, and obviously being affectionate together.
"Uh, did we miss something?" Gabriel wondered.
"Yeah, is it Valentine's Day or something?" Kyle nodded. "Do they have that here?"
Tristan grumbled and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, "Another day in Ever After I guess. Maybe all the princes and princesses finally paired off for their stories." He adjusted his bookbag and headed for the school, "Come on. Maybe some of the others heard something."
Gabriel blinked as Tristan pointedly ignored the wandering couples and headed for the school, "What's eating him?"
"Not sure," Kyle shrugged. "But he's right. Maybe one of the others knows if something's going on."
The three entered the school and moved to their lockers so they could drop off their bookbags. Inside the school seemed much like how it was outside. There were more couples wandering the halls, acting as cutesy as could be. They were all so into each other in a romantic way, one could almost see the hearts floating around their heads.
"I'm surprised no one's making out already," Kyle commented, noticing the numerous couples. So many were making eyes at each other, noticing no one else but each other. Back at home, it was sure to be a big P.D.A rather than just the goo-goo eyes the pairs were giving each other.
"Small mercies," Tristan grumped.
"Now these seem like storybook couples," Gabriel commented, chuckling a little at all the lovey-dovey antics. Immature? Maybe, but it was still funny to him. "Think someone let a love spell go out of control?"
"Knowing this place, possible," Tristan sighed. "Let's just find out what's going on so we don't get caught up in it."
The trio did come to their lockers, not finding their friends there. The ones who left earlier had their own school activities or places they wanted to be. The rest hadn't arrived at the school yet. Beginning to set their bags in their lockers, the three decided to maybe look out for the source of the sudden wave of romance. Maybe it was a little paranoid to think of the sudden outburst of love as anything odd, but not that many couples wouldn't suddenly pop up for no reason.
"So, maybe Rex knows something?" asked Gabriel. "If it's a school thing, he would be the one to know."
"Maybe," Kyle shrugged. "Do any of us know where the Student Council offices are?"
"..." both Gabriel and Tristan stopped. Ever After High was very much like a maze at some points. Being so large, it had plenty of different wings and places to go. They knew where their individual classes were, but things beyond that were something of a mystery since none of the boys needed to go there. Rex may have mentioned it, but no one was really interested in Student Council events unless they affected the student body.
"Well, I guess we can just ask-!" Gabriel began but then yelped when he suddenly felt someone pick him up and capture him in a tight embrace. "WHUF!"
"Oh wow! I didn't know anyone from home was going here! It's so nice to see you!"
Tristan and Kyle blinked when they heard the noise. Turning they blinked when they saw Gabriel being caught in the arms of a girl neither of them had seen before. She sported long, pink hair and had pale skin with a pink tint to it with sky blue eyes. Her choice of outfit consisted of a top that seemed styled after a Greek toga with a modern pink skirt with black edges and cloud patterns on it. She even had gold pump shoes. Aside front the copious amounts of pink, it was the ivory feathered wings which grew from her back that made her stand out.
"Uhhhh," Tristan blinked.
"Hi there," Kyle waved, instantly moving into his suave, flirting tone as he approached. "So, what's an angel like you doing over here?"
The girl giggled at the line, "Not a bad flirt. Confidence is good although it's a little hammy with the angel line. Besides, I'm a cupid, not an angel. I'm C.A. Cupid, a new transfer here."
Kyle blinked, not expecting a critique over one of his methods of flirting. Cupid just smiled and squeezed Gabriel a little tighter, "Sorry for causing a scene, but when I saw one of the cherubs from home, I couldn't help myself."
"That's nice," Gabriel grumped. "But I'm not a cherub!"
"Huh?" Cupid blinked. She lifted Gabriel up to get another look at him, "You're not? But you're so cute and…oh…" Her face turned even pinker. "Uh, no wings. Right. Um…sorry!" She quickly set Gabriel down, looking rather bashful.
"Thanks…" Gabriel groaned as he was put down. Man, the day just seemed to be taking shots at him. First, his laptop got wrecked, and now a big blow to his manly ego. How can you feel like a guy when a girl mistakes you for a cherub?
Tristan stepped forward next to Kyle, "So if you're a cupid, are you the reason why everyone's getting so lovey-dovey?"
"Yep!" Cupid smiled. "Love's kind of my thing. I transferred here since my dad had orders from my aunt to come here and start spreading the love."
"I think you've done that pretty well," Kyle glanced down the hall to the couples who couldn't take their eyes off each other. "Uh, is everyone going to stay like this?"
Cupid giggled, happy at the sight of so much love, "Oh, this is just the honeymoon phase. I set them up, but it's their desire to be couples that will keep it going. They'll go back to normal soon enough, but with a little someone special in their lives now."
"Okay then," Kyle nodded. "Oh, where are my manners? I'm Kyle Raye, the next Sir Kay of the Round Table. These are my friends Gabriel Lighthart, and Tristan Irons."
"Hi," Gabriel waved.
"Hm," Tristan nodded.
"The Round Table? Oh cool!" Cupid beamed. "The stories about some of the most chivalric and romantic knights of all time? So many of my friends back home love your stories!"
"That's us," Kyle grinned winningly.
*RIIIIIING*
"And that's us needing to go to class," Tristan grabbed Kyle's shoulder and pulled him back for their lockers. "Come on. You can flirt with the agent of love later."
"Ow, ow! Okay, okay, I'm going!" Kyle accepted as he struggled to get his footing back as Tristan pulled him away and Gabriel dashed his own way so as not to be late.
"Nice meeting you!" Cupid waved. "Kyle, keep that confidence but work on your vocabulary! Hammy is cute, but most girls like a realistic speech!"
(***)
Ever After High - Halls
After sitting through class and getting his focus on something else, Gabriel felt his mood lift somewhat since he couldn't stew on what happened that morning. History of Tall Tales and its fun stories were handy that way. He couldn't say he was over the gloom of losing his laptop completely, but at least he was starting to get over it. With how busy he was with school, training, and fighting Mirror Monsters, he had been looking forward to finally getting the time to sit down and game.
"Ah well, Dragon's Cave Arcade will have to do," Gabriel sighed to himself as he turned in the direction of his locker. "Hm, maybe if I can find a stand for my phone, I can set up a live stream of playing some rail shooters or racing games. Gonna need to practice though…"
His musings for his streaming followed him as he turned down the hallway. As he moved down the hall, he spied a familiar face. He smiled as he recognized Holly and her long, beautiful hair, games immediately vanishing from his mind. His lingering grim mood vanishing, Gabe approached and waved to get her attention, "Hi Holly!"
Holly blinked, turning to see Gabriel and broke out in her own princessly smile, "Oh, hello Gabriel. How are you?"
"Well, I'm doing okay," Gabriel shrugged. He eyed some students who passed by, clearly under the effect of Cupid as they held hands and cuddled close. Perhaps it was seeing the couples or meeting Cupid, but it gave Gabe inspiration. Adjusting his grip on his books, he decided to take a plunge, "So, are you doing anything after school?"
"Mmm, I don't think so," Holly pondered for a moment. "Why?"
"Well, I don't have anything planned and I just wanted to know if you wanted to hang out…or something," Gabriel offered.
"Oh," Holly blinked, but then smiled. "Hm, that actually sounds like fun."
"Really?" Gabriel perked up.
"Sure!" Holly nodded. "Oh, we can invite some friends and the new girl, Cupid! This could be an excellent chance to welcome her to Ever After High!"
"Ah…" Gabriel's excitement wilted. "I…guess…"
"Great!" Holly beamed, "Let's meet at Hocus Latte and go from there!" She quickly collected her books and closed her locker, "Bye Gabriel!" She gave a cute wave before she was down the hall, heading for her next class.
Gabriel waved robotically, "Bye…I was kind of hoping for a date…"
"Ouch. Good try though," a voice spoke up. Gabriel turned and spied none other than Cupid herself looking at him with sympathy. She was peeking out from behind a corner before she approached Gabriel with a sympathetic smile. "So you and Holly?"
Gabriel glanced at Cupid. He would have been more reluctant to talk about a crush he had on a girl, but if anyone could understand it, a literal cupid would, "I want to try, but it seems like Holly just doesn't see it. I just asked her out, but she somehow takes it like I want to hang out as friends. Am I just stuck in the friend zone or something?"
Cupid rubbed her chin, deep in thought, "Well, from that one interaction, I would say it's a little with both of you. Holly does see you as friendly and likes to spend time with you, but nothing seemed to say she's thought about romance," Gabriel groaned, but Cupid continued. "But you also didn't seem to really say you wanted to spend time with just the two of you."
Gabriel blinked and looked up at Cupid, "Didn't I?"
"Not used to asking a girl out, are you?" Cupid smiled, making Gabriel blush.
"I, um, didn't want to…pressure her or put her on the spot," Gabriel fiddled with his books. "I heard stories…I didn't want her to say yes because she felt like she had to."
"And that's why you're a sweetheart," Cupid giggled, delighting at Gabriel's embarrassed adorableness. "Wanting to be considerate to Holly is good, but you still have to be more open about what you intend. Romance is about communicating, not mind-reading."
Gabe blushed, "Right, yeah, talking is a thing. Any advice on what to do next then?"
Cupid pondered, but her Mirrorphone went off and she quickly checked it. Reading it, a smile came to her face as a light lit up in her eyes, "Well, Holly just invited me to Hocus Latte so to welcome me to the school. We've got an in!"
Gabe blinked, "Um, we do? How? Won't there be other people there? How does that help me?"
"You'll see! I'll set up everything so you'll know just what to do!," Cupid grinned. "You make sure you've cleaned up and ready for some romance! I'll meet you at Hocus Latte!"
"Uhhh…" Gabe blinked, now confused as Cupid giggled while heading back to her locker. "Can I get more details than that?"
(***)
Ooooh, this is so cute! I love it!
So it seems springtime has indeed come for Sir Gabriel.
Indeed. And he also has Cupid on his side to help.
(***)
Book End - Hocus Latte
The details were minimal, but Cupid seemed to have a plan. So Gabe raced back to the library and tried to make himself look good. He didn't want to look like he was trying too hard, but he wanted to at least be presentable as date material. Once he figured he was presentable, Gabe headed right for Hocus Latte so he could find a good spot to sit before the after-school crowd could fill up the place.
The coffee shop was bustling already. Gabe huffed, knowing that so many students could drop off their things in their dorms and go right to the shop where he had to go back to the library first. Most of the sofas were taken and the tables were filled as well. With his short height, navigating packed places was hard with so many people blocking his view.
"Gabriel! Over here!" the voice of Cupid cut through the noise. He turned to see and found the pink-haired girl on one set of sofas. Surprisingly, Cupid's pink curls did not stand out as much as they would have back in Storybrooke.
"Hi," Gabe waved, squeezing between some customers before approaching the sofas. Cupid quickly helped make space and coincidentally found himself seated next to Holly. "So, this is Cupid's welcome party?"
"You bet!" Holly nodded. "A big Once Upon a Welcome party for Cupid."
"Aww, thank you, everyone!" Cupid beamed. "I feel so welcomed already!"
A few of Holly's friends and people Cupid met were attending the impromptu get-together. Apple White, Briar Beauty, and Ashlynn Ella were certainly in attendance. Others just heard about it like Blondie Lockes, and she was quick to attend to maybe get a few new words from Ever After High's newest student. Fortunately, it did not appear that the girls were using it as an excuse to hang out and gossip, but Cupid really was the center of attention and everyone wanted to get to know her.
'Definitely not like the popular girls back home,' Gabe mentally recalled as he sipped his coffee after he managed to get away to buy it. Those girls were rather snarky and treated popularity like something out of Among Us.
Gabe admittedly felt a little out of place. He was never part of the popular group back home. He was a gamer who got some notoriety because he ran a YouTube channel that got some ad revenue. Some people thought he was about to become the next Markiplier or JackSepticEye. In truth, Gabe barely made enough cash to cover some expenses for equipment or new games. His ad revenue was really small, but most people didn't quite know how long it took to get to levels like the famous streamers. Independent game makers were sending feelers, but they weren't committing just yet, seeing if his channel would grow enough before they tried getting him into early releases of their games.
Still, the sudden surge in popular attention did get him an insight into the hierarchy of high school. People thought he was about to become famous and wanted to see if they could make a connection. Gabe dismissed them easily since they were the same people who made fun of him for being a gamer before it suddenly became cool. Yeah, there were hangouts and the popular kids seemed to get into the cool places much easier than everyone else. Plus, plenty of them were rich or had cars, which was always seen as cool. Still, Gabe didn't like the popular kids much and…well, he wasn't sure if a bunch of them liked each other either since they didn't seem like they were real friends. They just hung out together because everyone expected them to.
Not the kind of people Gabe felt like he could hang out with.
The girls of Ever After were proving to be a really different kettle of fish. They were easy friends and weren't catty or social climbers. They weren't trying to outdo each other and didn't try to take the Queen Bee spot of the social group. They didn't eye Cupid, wondering if they were going to be a threat to their standing, or someone they could use to make themselves look better like several did to Gabe back home. They honestly wanted to get to know Cupid and be friends with no hidden agendas.
"Gabe?" Holly's voice cut from his introspection. He shook his head and looked to the girl in question, "It's your turn to ask Cupid a question."
"O-oh," Gabe shook the cobwebs from his mind. He ignored the giggles from the girls, and even Cupid as she tried to stifle her laughs. Not from any kind of teasing, but as he would later learn, his daydreaming face was apparently that cute. "S-so, Cupid, are you related to the Olympians?"
"You know about them?" Cupid blinked but then smiled. "Sure am! Eros is my dad and Aphrodite is my auntie!"
Gabe blinked, "Uh, what? But isn't Aphrodite Eros' mother? Wouldn't that make her your grand-?"
"Shhh!" Cupid frantically hissed, shushing Gabe quickly. She frantically looked at the ceiling for a moment before leaning in, "Don't say the 'G' word! She might be watching us to make sure I'm doing okay. She doesn't like being reminded about it! I just call her auntie instead."
"Uh, right," Gabe nodded. Well, Aphrodite was sometimes said to be vain… "So, you know the rest of them too?"
"Oh sure!" Cupid beamed. "Uncle Poseidon's so cool. Auntie Hestia is such a sweetheart. Auntie Demeter can be…overprotective. Lord Zeus and Uncle Hades can be a bit…much."
"Cool," Gabe breathed. So even the Olympians were real too? How awesome was that? He just hoped they didn't know about the God of War series…
"So, my question to you," Cupid clapped her hands together. She leaned in and gave a knowing wink to Gabe that the other princesses didn't notice. "As a cupid, I just have to know, what kind of lovey-dovey gossip can we share?"
"Oh!" Apple giggled. "Well, everyone says Daring and I make a Happily Ever After couple even if we're not together-together."
"Oh yeah?" Briar grinned. "What about Lance? He seems pretty interested in you if you ask me." Apple giggled, blushing slightly while absently twiddling her fingers. The fact she didn't respond was enough to make Briar and Cupid grin.
"Um, I don't have anyone in particular," Ashlynn waved off the question, but a gleam came to Cupid's eye. Still, she didn't say anything more.
"I'm too busy to think about romance. That will come when I wake up from my nap," Briar shrugged. "Although I won't deny I've been tempted sometimes."
"Like with Sir Harry?" Apple teased.
"Mm, maybe," Briar grinned without a hint of shame. "It's not every day a knight in shining armor carries you back home."
"Ooooh!" Cupid cooed, loving the love gossip. She was already making mental notes for advice she could offer after she helped Gabe. With that in mind, she looked to Holly and Gabe, "So, what about you two? Any juicy love gossip to share?"
"Oh, I really haven't thought about it," Holly quickly admitted, although a faint heat in her cheeks hinted at something more. "I suppose I can just wait until destiny rolls around and I'll meet my Prince Charming."
"That's no fun!" Cupid pouted. She looked at Gabe with a knowing smile, "What about you Gabriel? Any fair maiden in your sights?"
"Um, well," Gabe blushed, earning giggles from the other girls at the table. "I do um…"
"Yes?' Cupid gently pressed. Internally, she was silently urging Gabe to confess that he was hoping to get Holly's attention. She could tell no one was going to dare mock him for it, and Holly certainly would be surprised, but not feel pressured. It was just a casual talk and hopefully, with a relaxed and fun atmosphere, Holly would be more receptive. Cupid had planned for success, but people had a real talent for throwing a wrench into things.
Gabe gulped, feeling sweat break out from his brow and his cheeks heat up. Cupid was really asking him to blurt out right there he was interested romantically in Holly? Well, he was, but to just say it in the middle of the coffee shop where her friends were sitting. That was just a disaster waiting to happen! Gabe would confess, Holly would then get all awkward and her friends would be teasing, and then she'd just shut him down and they wouldn't hang out anymore. Gabe could picture it all happening that way since one of his gamer friends tried the same method and he lamented to their group how badly it had gone for him afterwards.
"I…um…" Gabe gulped thickly. He saw Cupid's imploring gaze before he suddenly jolted, "Oh, sorry! Got a phone call! Gotta take it!" Jumping up to his feet, he all but bolted from the coffee shop, his face a bright red.
"Ah phooey," Cupid bit her lip. "Did I press too hard?"
(***)
Oh, come on! Arthur and Raven weren't nearly as difficult!
Brooke, how many times do we have to tell you? You can't just push two characters together because you think they make the best pair!
But Mom, take a look at little Gabe and Holly and say they aren't meant to be! They're adorable together!
…be that as it may, we as narrators are not allowed to change the story to suit our whims. Now we're going to read this story as written, understand?
…yes Mom…
(***)
Book End - Streets
Gabe groaned as he leaned against the side of the Hocus Latte building, "Good going, genius. Just run away like that! If I didn't look like a complete dork before, I sure do now!"
Gabe just didn't know what he was going to do now. He was sure since he ran off, the other girls were now going to be curious and maybe try to pry the identity of his crush out of him. He could tell they would think his embarrassment would be 'adorable'. Way too many people thought so, especially if they didn't guess his age correctly.
Plenty of guys wouldn't be so restrained as not to use any advantage they had to get a girl to go out with them. Gabe had heard plenty of people tell him his adorable looks could be an easy way to get into a girl's good graces and maybe start dating her. Gabe would often tell them to shut up. To just get a girl to like him based on his looks was just shallow and didn't seem like a good basis for a relationship. Besides, Gabe wanted to be a boyfriend, not treated like an adorable mascot or accessory for a girl. That meant, to him, presenting his best and showing he could be reliable, steadfast, and supportive rather than just be good-looking.
"Ugh, this high school romance stuff is hard," Gabe groaned to himself.
"Gabriel?"
Gabe's heart stopped and his blood turned to ice in his veins. Turning, he barely contained his horror at seeing Holly at the mouth of the alley, looking somewhat nervous herself and twiddling with her fingers. Gabe feared what he was about to hear. Did he do something to make Holly think he was weird? Was she going to be upset with him?
"I'm sorry Gabriel," Holly grimaced. "I guess we embarrassed you, didn't we?"
Gabe blinked, "Uhh…"
"I'm so used to just talking with the girls that we don't mind sharing talk about boys and things like that," Holly continued. "I guess boys aren't the same. I mean, my friend Darling says her brother can't really bring up any girl he likes without becoming a stuttering mess so…"
"Ah, well," Gabe gulped. He wanted to say that sounded like stereotyping, but hadn't he bolted from the shop just to avoid saying he liked Holly out loud? Besides, he was in a world of fairy tales. Stereotypes were kind of the norm.
Holly twisted a strand of hair around her fingers nervously, "So, I wanted to say sorry for putting you in that position. Won't you please come back and sit with us?"
Gabe blushed, still blushing really, but began to smile, "Sure…
(***)
Mirror World - Streets
The Mirror World was as silent as ever, sporting only a few wandering monsters as they stared into a world of food that was barred from them. Explosions in the distance heralded a battle between monsters over something, heralding a morsel of food up for grabs.
One such monster was glaring through a storefront window, drool dripping from its maw as it stared down people walking down the streets. Its body was mainly composed of bronze plating, all smoothed and made for movement, its feet ending in hooves. Its torso was thick with red horns curving over and under its shoulders, leading to points sticking out from its chest. Bronze-plated shields with red edges rested on its arms, making it appear bulky and muscled. Its head was armored in more bronze, but the face had a grill, not unlike a helmet and spoiler fin-like horns coming from the sides.
This was a wildboarder, a member of the Boarder subspecies.
And it was hungry.
So very, very hungry.
The monster watched so much food walking around, waiting to be grabbed. Snarling, it slammed its fist against the glass but was repelled by a thick barrier of magical force. The wildboarder growled and pried at the edges of the barrier, but it refused to budge. Its bulk prevented the monster from even trying to chew the barrier, frustrating it further.
Snarling, it scuffed its foot across the ground, looking like it may try to charge the barrier to break through it with force. As it began to back up and get room to build up speed, it stopped when a white orb shot through the air. Rather than strike the monster, it struck the barrier. The orb melted into the barrier, causing it to flash for a moment before disappearing completely.
The wildboarder didn't think to question what had happened. All it really cared about was that the way was clear. With a roar of glee, the monster charged at the glass, leaving a trail of dust and it jumped through the glass and passed through.
(***)
Book End - Streets
Eeeeeeeeeeeeee!
The sudden ringing caused Gabe to flinch as he held his head in pain, cutting off his answer to Holly's invitation.
"Gabriel, are you alright?" Holly asked worriedly as her friend seemed to be experiencing a headache.
Gabe did not answer in time before a store window across the road rippled and the hulking form of the Wildboarder jumped onto the sidewalk. It roared in glee, causing many pedestrians to react with fear, screaming, and starting to run for their lives. Its beady eyes rolled over the many people before its eyes landed on one in particular. She stood out like a beacon compared to most others, especially with the strong, strong scent of energy coming out of her hair.
"Oh no…" Gabe paled, seeing the Wildboarder staring at him and Holly.
The wildboarder roared and began to charge towards Holly, moving at a deceptively fast speed, racing towards her, ravishing hunger in its eyes. Holly screamed as the monster was upon her in a heartbeat. Her cry was cut short when a weight pushed her to the side, tumbling to the sidewalk. The wildboarder roared by, charging down the alley as it tried to turn around.
Holly blinked and looked up, shocked to see Gabe quickly getting up, "Come on Holly! We've gotta go!" He quickly took her hand, helping her to her feet. Hearing the monster roar in the alley, trying to turn around with all of its bulk. The two ran to Hocus Latte, charging into the store where everyone was trying to see out the windows or record it.
"Bar the door! Cover everything reflective!" Gabe shouted. Grabbing a broom leaning against a wall, he stuck it between the handles, preventing it from opening. Glancing at Holly, who was being fretted over by her friends, Gabe charged across the store, ducked into the back, and quickly found the back door.
Slamming the door open, he stepped into the back and found the Wildboarder kicking trash cans and thrashing around to get obstacles out of the way as it began to turn to try and charge back out into the street.
"Oh no you don't, butthead!" Gabe frowned. Digging into his pocket, he produced his Advent Deck, a black one with the image of a rhino on it. Quickly spying on a bicycle, likely belonging to an employee from Hocus Latte, he held the deck to the mirrors on the handlebars. As expected, his V-Buckle appeared and wrapped around his waist.
Gabe lifted his free hand in a fist and pumped it, "Henshin!" He snapped the deck into place, causing the belt to activate. The armor appeared and folded over him, solidifying and filling with color.
The suit had the black bodysuit for protection like the others. Its torso armor was thick steel plating, clearly bolted on in several layers, and appeared like pectoral muscles. The shoulder armor was just as thick, bolted together, and curved with sockets on the edges. The left shoulder sported a long, red horn sticking out from the side and a black panel on the front. The neck was protected by a thick collar and the helmet was made of the same thick armor with a visor bolted on, consisting of four slits across the face, but dipped low to go around the silver horn that rose from the middle of the faceplate.
Most telling of all was that when the suit manifested, the bearer's body seemed to grow several inches, matching the height of any of his peers, even growing taller than some of them. Gabriel Lighthart had stepped aside and Sir Gai of the Round Table had replaced him.
"HIYAAAHHH!" Gai roared, charging at the Wildboarder. He crashed into the monster with considerable force, heavy in his armor. The Wildboarder grunted from the sudden crash and lost its footing, being pushed back through the alley as its hooves scraped along the cobblestone, trying to find purchase. It wasn't until they got back out into the street before the monster got its footing back, grinding to a halt.
The knight and monster grunted as they pushed against each other, muscles straining as they tried to overpower each other. Gair grunted and pushed, throwing a headbutt at the monster. The Wildboarder met it back, impacting against Gai's forehead, bronze meeting iron in a blast of sparks.
"Tough…guy…huh?" Gai grunted, not feeling the real blow behind the headbutt thanks to his thick armor and added protection of his horn.
The Wildboarder grunted in response. A whine began to echo from its body and Gai looked down to see lights starting to shine from the tips of its four horns curled around its torso. Gai let out a gasp of horror before four lasers fired from the horns, blasting against his chest in blasts of sparks and knocking him back.
"Ow! Ow!" Gai cried as several laser blasts struck his chest. His vision was lit up with afterimages of the lights, keeping him from seeing where the monster was. As he was forced back, the Wildboarder charged, colliding with Gai with enough force to take him off his feet before they crashed into the side of Hocus Latte, smashing the brickwork and breaking it.
Gai huffed, losing his breath for a moment. The Wildboarder did not relent, grabbing Gai by the sides before spinning him around and charging again, racing across the street before crashing into another store's wall, shattering the windows from the impact.
"Ow…" Gai grunted. Shaking the stars from his head, "Okay, time for some techniques instead of tank tactics!" Lifting his hands, he punched the sides of the wildboarder's head, hoping it had some sensitive ears. The Wildboarder squealed piggishly in pain and jerked back, clutching at its head.
Gai got his footing back and quickly drew a card from his deck. As he did so, the black panel on his shoulder popped open, revealing a chamber. Flipping the card over, it revealed a metal gauntlet with a golden horn, styled like a rhino's head. Gai tossed the card to his shoulder, and the card almost flew into the chamber like it was magnetized before Gai shut the chamber with his hand.
[Strike Vent!]
A nearby piece of the ruined window flashed before the gauntlet depicted on his card appeared over his right arm. Hefting the bulky weapon, Gai charged into the fray. The Wildboarder snarled and raised its arms. Gai attacked with his Metal Horn, smashing against the thick shields of the Wildboarder, making the monster grunt from the strikes. Despite the clear force going into the strikes thanks to the weight of the weapon, the Wildboarder's defense was too strong.
'Okay, it's DEF is too high right now. Gotta get around it somehow,' Gai thought to himself. To that end, he tried to dance around the Wildboarder, aiming to get at its sides or its back. The Wildboarder proved quick on the uptake though, pivoting quickly and keeping its defense strong.
"Ha!" Gai thrust , trying to get through the gap. His horn met the shields before the Wildboarder threw its arms open, revealing its glowing horns. Gai mentally cussed before the laser bolts crashed into his armor, knocking him back with smoking points on his chest.
'Darnit. I'm not fast enough. Armor's too heavy,' Gai thought to himself. He was arguably one of the physically strongest of his friends, in armor of course, but that severely hampered his speed in a fight. 'Good thing I have a way to help with that.'
Gai hefted up his Metal Horn and charged into the fray again. The Wildboarder raised its shields and took the blow, only skidding back slightly from the strike. Gai flexed his free hand and awkwardly drew a card from his deck. The Metal Visor popped open and he tossed the card inside. He bashed the Wildboarder to keep it distracted before he shut the chamber again.
[Confine Vent!]
The moment the card activated, the shields of the Wildboarder shimmered silver before vanishing altogether. The Wildboarder grunted in surprise before Gai struck with his Metal Horn. He smashed his weapon against monster, eliciting cries of pain as the Wildboarder was knocked back, losing a crucial amount of defense.
One thrust knocked the Wildboarder back. Given some space, the monster turned and sped away. Gai prepared to try and give chase but was stopped when the monster turned around and came to charge at him. Gai reached for his belt but then yelped when the Wildboarder fired its lasers again. The knight leapt to the side, avoiding the laser blasts and narrowly avoided being rammed by the monster. Getting to his knees, he saw the monster starting to turn to make another one.
"Head to head then," Gai grunted as he drew another card, this one showing his golden emblem on a gray background. He tossed it into his Metal Visor and snapped the chamber shut.
[Final Vent!]
A bellow announced a humanoid monster, hunched over with thick gray metal plating over it's body, save for softer red skin. Its legs were thick and ended in rhino-like feet while it sported thick arms with golden claws. Metal curved over its shoulders with metal fins rising from the top. Its head was rhino-shaped with a pair of red eyes and a golden horn glinting in the sunlight.
This was Gai's contracted partner, the Mirror Monster Metalgelas.
Metalgelas bellowed and began to charge down the street behind Gai, seemingly meeting the Wildboarder's incoming charge.
"Sir knight, behind you!" Holly's voice made Gai perk up, seeing her and several others peeking outside of the Hocus Latte doors. She looked frantic, fearing that Gai was going to be smashed between two monsters.
Gai didn't show that he heard and instead, when Metalgelas got closer, leaped up into the air. His feet landed on the monster's shoulder plating and Metalgelas grabbed his legs, holding him up horizontally. Once he was gripped tightly, Metalgelas, incredibly, picked up speed. He began to move fast enough to show friction glowing on the Metal Horn as the air flared around the tip.
The Wildboarder didn't stop and tried firing at the incoming monsters. The beams came at the duo, but the rushing pair seemed to deflect them, letting the lasers bounce off. The incoming attack didn't stop as the two sides met in the middle of the street. An explosion ripped through the air with a small inferno at the impact. Many people cried in fright at the impact, but cheers soon followed as Gai and Metalgelas burst through the fire, skidding to a halt as Gai was released.
"Whew!" Gai heaved a sigh of relief. Laughing he pet Metalgelas on the head. "Good job, buddy! We sure showed him!" The touch made Metalgelas rumble in delight. A sound that grew as the fires died down, showing the glowing core of the Wildboarder. Metalgelas didn't hesitate, running to gobble up the treat. Once finished, the rhino monster retreated to the Mirror World, leaving Gai to see the aftermath.
Gai glanced to Hocus Latte and trotted to where Holly and her friends were openly watching in admiration. Concerned, he walked up to them, "Is everyone okay?"
Holly nodded first, "Y-yes, Sir knight."
"Hey, none of that," Gai chuckled. "It's Sir Gai, the Defender. Anyway, if no one is in need, I have to check out the Mirror World to make sure more monsters aren't waiting in the wings. Does anyone need help?"
Receiving no signs of distress, Gai nodded and headed to a pane of glass before slipping through to the Mirror World. Behind him, Holly watched with admiration in her eyes, and Cupid watched with a knowing gleam in her own as she saw Holly's reaction.
(***)
Ooooh, I see what Cupid sees!
Brooke, please keep reading the story properly.
(***)
Mirror World - Book End
The Mirror World was showing some action for a change as Gai walked down the streets, searching for any Sheerghosts that might be trying to take advantage of the Wildboarder's attack. He moved down the street, checked alleys, and listened for any kind of disturbance. After several moments, he sagged with relief that no Sheerghosts or other scavenging Mirror Monsters were trying to follow in its wake.
"Whew," he sighed in relief. "One less thing to worry about."
No monsters around, Gai wandered up and down the streets, letting his fingers tap the glass of the various stores. While he could phase through easily thanks to his armor, he was looking for the telltale ripples of Merlin's barriers. Watching the ripples in each pane of glass, Gai finally came to the store window the Wildboarder had charged through.
"Got you," Gai nodded, making a note to tell Merlin which window the monster had gotten through. Eyeing the glass, he spied into the Real World and watched Holly, Cupid, ad their friends talking as people dispersed, either wanting to see the spot Gai had blown up the monster, or just needing to get away to calm down. More it seemed were asking for more coffee or gulping down what they had to calm their nerves.
Gai prepared to move and make a second check for monsters when he spotted movement in the actual reflection of the glass. Something on the rooftop behind him. Gai spun around, his hand on his belt to draw a card. Looking to the rooftop, he did not spy anything there. Not satisfied with just one look, Gai charged towards the store in question and let himself in. Walking through the store, he found the stairs that took him all the way up to the roof. Looking around, Gai found no sign of anything around.
Gai was silent for a moment, but then relaxed, "Okay, one more check, and then call Merlin to get the barrier patched."
As Gai turned to leave, he did not see a figure in white hiding behind a rooftop access on another building.
"Amateur."
(***)
Ever After High - Hallways
The aftermath of the attack seemed to follow what was now considered typical of such attacks. The owner of Hocus Latte lamented having to hire contractors to repair the damage to their store, but otherwise, no one seemed afraid or even off-put by the attack. Once again, with the monster destroyed, everyone seemed to relax and just go back to their lives. That seemed really odd to Gabe, but he chalked that up to just how fairy tales were.
What was getting his attention at school was people talking about how Sir Gai had taken on a Mirror Monster and utterly wrecked it. With it happening so publicly, everyone was posting videos of the fight nearly from start to finish. Comments were flowing as people talked about 'Sir Gai' and how he bravely fought the monster, seemingly crushing it single-handedly.
All the talk and praise he was hearing about his alter ego had Gabe grinning like a loon as he walked down the halls of the school. Everyone was talking gossip about the newest debut of a Knight of the Round Table. Gabe enjoyed hearing the gossip, although so far no one seemed to be trying to talk to him and get his view of the fight.
'Ah well, more of a chance to do something more important,' Gabe thought to himself as he turned a corner. Once again, he was walking in the familiar direction of Holly's locker. The orngette was there, smiling that dazzling smile as she gossiped with Cupid. The pinkette immediately saw Gabe and grinned before she quickly excused herself, heading for her own locker.
'Thanks Cupid,' Gabe mentally thanked. Steeling himself, he approached, "Hi Holly!"
Holly turned that princessly smile on him again, "Hello Gabriel. How are you today?"
"No complaints," Gabe grinned. "But what about you? Are you okay after all that excitement yesterday?"
"Oh, I'm better than fine! All thanks to Sir Gai," Holly giggled, her cheeks turning pink.
"Really?" Gabe blinked. Had he managed to impress Holly? Was he getting his opening? Cupid seemed to think so as she watched and gave Gabe a thumbs-up.
"Yes! He was so dashing! And so big and strong!" Holly gushed, hands on her cheeks as she recounted the event. "Did you see how he bravely pushed back against that monster? No fear at all! And then when it was all done, he still came back to make sure we were all safe and sound. *Sigh* I wish I could have seen under his helm."
Gabe almost wanted to grin like a fool and pump his fist but stopped when Holly finished her gushing. Did she say she didn't-? "Wait, you don't know who Sir Gai is?"
"No, I don't," Holly pouted. "I wish he could have stayed to let us talk to him."
Gabe felt his stomach drop and Cupid blinked in shock from where she was listening in. Holly couldn't tell it was Gabe under the suit? Sure, the suit added some height but his voice didn't change. Cupid was able to tell right away! Holly was actually crushing on Sir Gai?
Was it possible to be jealous of yourself? Gabe was pretty sure he was feeling that right now.
"Um, H-Holly," Gabe tried to speak up. "I'm Sir-!"
*BRIIIIIIIIING!*
"Oh no! I'm going to be late!" Holly gasped, snapping out of her daydream. She quickly grabbed her books and slammed her locker shut. "Sorry Gabriel, but I have to go! We can sit together at lunch. Bye!"
She was off like a shot, leaving a disbelieving Gabe in her wake, "...I'm Sir Gai…"
Cupid watched the exchange, her excitement at seeing a new couple form suddenly cratering into disappointment. Biting her lip, she felt so sorry for Gabriel as he pouted at what happened, "This one is going to be tougher than I thought."
(***)
What?! How can Holly not tell it's Gabe under that suit?!
Well, he does gain a considerable amount of height when he changes. Mixed with the full mask and perhaps Holly just doesn't hear the same voice.
But, but Dad, it's so obvious! All that charming buildup and she doesn't realize who it is? Ugh! So frustrating!
Well, no one said romance was easy. Not even for a Knight of the Round Table.
But it's set up so perfectly! There's no way it can't happen! Let's keep reading!
Brooke Paige! Don't you-!
(***)
Ever After High - Castleteria
Gabe was still pouting as he ate his lunch. He couldn't help but feel deeply disappointed just like he was yesterday when his laptop exploded. Still, it was disappointing in a very different way. With the laptop, it felt bad because of how much he had invested in the laptop itself. Finding out Holly had no idea he was Sir Gai…it just hurt like he was possibly missing out on something. Even if he was a gamer, that didn't mean he preferred 2D girls over real ones, and Holly was just his type. The thought of blowing any chance he had with her was just
"Oh Gabriel!" Cupid's voice cut through Gabe's gloom. Perking up, he spied the pinkette coming to his table, "Hey, how are you? Ready for take two?"
"Take two?" asked Gabe. "You mean after Take One went down in flames?"
"Not down in flames," Cupid wagged a finger at him. "Just delayed. You made a great impression on Holly. She was giddy to see you in action once all the excitement died down. Coming to check on her made for a great step since she's infatuated with you."
"With Sir Gai," Gabe huffed. "And she can't tell it's me."
"Then we just have to tell her," Cupid retorted. "A nice reveal, you approach her in your suit, make a dramatic unmasking, and you say what you want to say: 'Holly, would you go out with me?'"
Gabe blinked, internally flustered at the thought of doing something so over the top, "I don't think that will work…"
"Who's the cupid here?" Cupid teased. "Trust me. Girls here in Ever After just live to have a knight in shining armor declare their intention like that."
"Yeah, but shouldn't something like this be, you know, private?" Gabe pressed. "I don't want to make a big deal out of just asking Holly on a date."
"Okay then," Cupid nodded, almost as if she was expecting his reluctance. She pointed past Gabe's shoulder, "Here's your chance, Holly's coming this way."
Gabe nearly choked on his food, "What?!" He spun around, seeing the next Rapunzel strolling towards them. She smiled brightly again as she saw Gabe and Cupid.
"Hello," Holly waved.
"Hi Holly," Cupid waved. "I was just talking with Gabriel and he said has something to tell you."
'Cupid, noooooo!' Gabe mentally wailed.
"Oh?" Holly blinked in surprise. "What is it, Gabriel?"
Gabe gulped and glanced at Cupid, who quickly waved at him to confess. He looked at her incredulously, but with Holly looking expectantly, he couldn't exactly say nothing. Feeling pushed and put on the spot, Gabriel felt he had no choice, "Um, Holly, about Sir Gai…"
"Oh! Did you find something out?" Holly immediately perked up.
"Well, kind of," Gabe nodded. "Um, well, Sir Gai is-!"
*Squeal!*
Gabe found himself cut off when Daring entered the Castleteria and caused a scene with many princesses running to fawn over him. Why they were was anyone's guess. Daring seemed to always be up to something heroic which got several princesses to start going wild. The noise got everyone's attention for a moment, wondering what was going on. Still, it died down once Daring gave the girls another Charming-style smile and sent them on their way.
"You were saying?" Cupid pressed, not wishing to see Gabe lose his courage.
"R-right," Gabe gulped. "Holly, I'm Sir-!"
*Ring!*
"Whoops!" Holly blinked, quickly retrieving her Mirrorphone. She checked it before swiping on it and putting it away with an embarrassed flush, "Sorry, my sister's been hexting me nonstop since she heard I was near that monster yesterday. What were you saying Gabriel?"
Gabe grit his teeth and tried to surge ahead, "I wanted to say-!"
Eeeeeeeeeeeee!
'Oh come on!' Gabe mentally wailed.
"Coming through!" Rex's voice bellowed as he began charging through the room. He passed by Gabe, stopping only briefly to heft the shorter boy up and began pulling him away, "Excellent timing Gabriel! Come on, duty calls!"
"Ack! H-Hey, wait!" Gabe yelped as he was dragged away.
"No waiting!" Rex retorted, pulling Gabe to the doors and storming down the halls.
"Oh," Holly blinked at the rather random interruption. "That was…sudden."
"Yes," Cupid deflated. Another perfectly arranged chance to pair Holly and Gabriel up was foiled! She glanced up at the ceiling and grumbled, "Nemesis, this is payback for taking the last of Auntie Hestia's cookies, isn't it?"
Cupid swore she could hear her vindictive cousin blowing a raspberry somewhere.
(***)
What?! Hey, come on! That's interference!
And it's what you get for trying to force the story the path you want, Brooke. Now, your reading privileges are officially revoked! You will sit there and listen us read the story properly.
*Groan* But we all knew the pairing was going to happen! Who cares if it happened a little sooner?
We don't write the story young lady. We merely read it. Now, sit there and perhaps learn a little bit of patience.
Yes, Mom…yes Dad."
To Be Continued…
OMKE CORNER
The Knight's Armory
Sir Gai, Knight of the Rhino
The armor of Gabriel Lighthart is rather distinct compared to some of his comrades. It easily boasts some of the thickest armor out of the new Knights of the Round Table. This means Sir Gai holds some of the highest base defensive power out of all of his comrades. However, the thickness of the armor makes it among some of the least agile and maneuverable.
The main piece of equipment for this suit is the Metal Visor. Where the other knights have their visors built into weapons, Gai's visor is instead built into his left shoulder armor. It may appear unwieldy, but it seems to hold the function of pulling Advent Cards into it when Gai tosses cards in its general direction.
Gai's partner is the Mirror Monster, Metalgelas. This monster is a humanoid rhino with thick armor and is deceptively fast when given the incentive to do so.
The Advent Deck of Sir Gai focuses on heavy offense, taking advantage of his already considerable defense to be in the thick of battle. His main weapon is the Metal Horn, a spiked armament styled after Metalgelas' head. A unique ability the deck boasts is the Confine Vent. This card is able to nullify the most recently activated weapon or ability of its target, suddenly leaving the target open to attack.
The FInal Vent of Sire Gai is called Heavy Pressure. In this attack, Gai leaps up before bracing his legs on Metalgelas' shoulders. Metalgelas then begins to run, using momentum to keep from falling. Holding the Metal Horn, the two charge at high speeds at the target, creating a devastating strike on impact. Being an attack moving in a straight line, there is a good chance to avoid the attack if it is timed poorly.
Beyond the Looking Glass
Wildboarder
The Wildboarder is a boar-based Mirror Monster, boasting thick armor and thick shields on its arms. The monster uses high-speed strikes, able to move at speeds faster than its bulk would suggest. A drawback is because of its thick and bulky natural armor, the monster has difficulty turning in narrow spaces and cannot easily turn while running at high speeds. Provided a target can see it coming, it is surprisingly easy to avoid its charges. It also has potent offensive abilities. Not only is its thick armor a strong bludgeoning weapon at high speeds, but the Wildboarder is able to fire lasers from the tusks extending over its chest, enabling it to pin down prey or enemies before charging in for the kill.
A/N: ...yeah, it's been a while. Between real life, a new D&D Campaign, and Elden Ring (How can a game so infuriating keep drawing me back?!), writing fell a little to the wayside.