I do not own Kamen Rider Ryuki or Ever After High. They belong to their respective creators and not me. I am not writing this for profit, only for fun.
Knights of the Otherworld
By Ten-Faced Paladin
Chapter 12: Due Reward
After many trials and experiences, the fellowship of knights has proven their intentions to the parents of their paramours, earning their approval. Tentatively in some cases, but approval all the same.
Save for a few cases, but the knights remain hopeful in their relationships with their princesses.
Especially Kevin!
Book End Library
Kevin let out a yawn as he walked into the library. He felt strangely tired yet invigorated at the same time. Waking up with someone you cared about was actually becoming the best way to wake up in his mind.
"Hey, Kevin. You didn't come home last night," Darren said as Kevin walked through the main area. "Where were you?"
"I spent the night at a friend's place," Kevin answered.
Darren just grinned knowingly, "Uh-huh. Anyway, did Cinderella try to strangle you or something? You've got bruises all over your neck."
Kevin pulled his collar up to cover the love bites Faybelle had left all over his neck. Last night, he and Faybelle had spent the night together at the hotel. The rates were surprisingly affordable though Kevin would probably have to wait for his allowance next month before he could take Faybelle out on another date.
It was pretty romantic. They ordered room service, watched a movie, and then started making out. He even got to second base with her. It was, to put it accurately, quite magical.
"This is nothing," Kevin insisted. "Nothing. I just had a run-in with a Mirror Monster and it choked me."
"Uh-huh," Darren snickered, knowing that Kevin was lying. All of them guessed that he had gone on a date with Faybelle. No doubt to calm her down for having to go talk to Cinderella about his and Ashlynn's supposed relationship.
The two continued walking, passing Merlin in the process.
"Oh, good, you're back, Kevin. C'mon, you should hurry and get ready. The award ceremony is today." Merlin glanced at Kevin's neck. "And put some makeup to cover those hickeys."
Kevin just turned bright red and palmed his face, wishing the ground would just swallow him whole already. Darren's laughter did not help his mood.
Like Legacy Day, the award ceremony was a huge formal event. The knights had to dress their best, not to mention the students whose parents would be attending the ceremony. The event would also be covered by the news, which meant cameras being pointed at them at all times.
Lance kind of wished he had the chance to meet Snow White before the ceremony. That way, if he accidentally made a fool of himself, it would not be in front of so many cameras. Apple, however, assured him through hext that everything would be fine.
(-)
Meanwhile, Arthur was trying to write a good speech which turned out to be difficult. Rex had told him that the best speeches were spoken from the heart but the one he had given during Legacy Day had been during the heat of the moment. As their group's King Arthur, he represented their fellowship and so his speech would need to convey a strong message.
'No pressure,' Arthur mentally grumbled.
He took out his MirrorPhone, deciding if he should call Raven. Hearing her voice had a calming effect on him. He could not believe how quickly their relationship had evolved, from a friendship to romance. But, then again, the girl was special to him. She was literally magical, kind and sweet in spite of her origins, and she had a wicked sense of humor. Also, she believed in him without heaping so many expectations on him.
DragonRider01: Hi, Blackbird. Are you there?
NotSoEvilQueen: For you? Always. What's up? Don't you have a speech to write?
DragonRider01: Trying to. It's hard and I am just ready to go into a nervous breakdown.
NotSoEvilQueen: Now calm down you. Remember the advice you got? Speaking from the heart?
DragonRider01: Easy to say, harder to apply. I feel like it should be heroic or knightly, but I didn't feel any of that when the Shereghosts showed up.
NotSoEvilQueen: Then don't say you did. Tell it like it is. What were you feeling? Use that.
Arthur rubbed his neck. All he felt when the Shereghosts attacked was some panic, but then he also experienced a hard-driven desire to save as many people as he could and fight off the Shereghosts. He figured it was a natural instinct to an extent. His fellow Riders felt it and they all transformed to fight. Yes, he wanted to protect Raven and he kept her in sight while everyone ran.
"What was I feeling, hm?" Arthur pondered. He remembered Headmaster Grimm scolding Raven, demanding she sign the destiny that put her on a path to misery instead of happiness. He remembered the righteous fury he felt then and how he marched up to the headmaster and threatened to transform to make him back off.
During the Shereghost Attack, it was hard to describe what he felt. Adrenaline? Well, there had been plenty of that. Fear? Some, but he hadn't thought of it that much. Determination? Yes, yes there was that which helped push him to hunt for the Shereghost Spawner.
"It wasn't glory or duty that really drove me," Arthur muttered, writing the line down. "It was more a desire to protect those close to me. Glory? Reward? Those were just a byproduct of what I sought. The smiling faces of my friends as they realized they were safe was reward enough."
He might just be onto something.
Ever After High - Front Walk
As part of the celebration, likely as a PR stunt to show the school was back up and running, the ceremony would be held in front of the famous school. The media ate it up as it seemed like a massive garden party was set up for all of the guests and reporters to see it all. Hedge sculptures, a snack buffet, and even a drink bar were set up. Off to one side, a Wonderland-style croquet course had been set up for amusement and photo opportunities.
Standing in the spotlight, Arthur felt out of place again. He could easily tell the reporters in attendance were taking pictures of him. With Raven on his arm, chatting excitedly with Maddie, he had no doubt some tabloid was going to paint it like Raven was casting a spell on him or something. Well, she did, but the paper would make it seem like a bad thing.
Arthur had chosen an ensemble which was a balanced mix of red, white and blue. Gabe had teased him that he was taking inspiration off of Optimus Prime. Arthur really couldn't deny it. The animated robot was just someone who Arthur thought had the best qualities of a hero and leader. Maybe it was an imaginary ideal or figure, but they were in a fairy tale world. If it could apply to any place, it might just work there.
"This is all so fablelous!" Maddie giggled, looking around. "Oooh, the tea, the croquet, the friends, and the famous fairy tales! You don't see many tea parties like this!"
"Yeah, it is," Raven agreed. "I've never seen this many spellebrities around either. I feel like I should have a camera or something with me."
"I think the reporters have you covered," Arthur looked to said reporters and saw several of them snap pictures of him, blinding him for a moment.
Gabe was making himself at home at the snack table, enjoying some of the fancy foods. They were good of course, but he could do without some of the serving staff giving him lip.
"Little boy, where are your parents?"
Like that.
"I'm one of the knights!" Gabe complained. Did he need to put on his armor so they believed him?
Rex found himself enjoying a pleasant conversation with experienced royal figures. It was almost familiar from home, but there was a lightheartedness to their conversation. Yes, they dealt with many issues as all royalty did, but it seemed the issues weren't as severe in the fairy tale world as they were on Earth. Of course, the sticking point was that Rex couldn't out himself as a member of a royal line. He had to play off his power and golden accessories as being touched by the Holy Grail. An impressive thing, but not quite what he wished his strength to be known for.
Gwen walked arm-in-arm with Darling as they seemed to do rounds with the other guests. Darling had taken it upon herself to teach Gwen about upper society. It was clear that they were a couple, although, to the people not in the know, or just that dense, it was Darling giving more Princessology lessons to Gwen, using the party as a living example.
Gawain was out of his element, not used to talking with so many people. Luckily, he had Rosabella with him. She would softly whisper to him to help him calm down. Fortunately, their animal friends, the student ones, were quick to gravitate towards them. Either just because they were more comfortable with them, or the animals wished to help Gawain get more comfortable. It was hard to tell which way was which.
Darren tried to crack some jokes but was met with silence until he tried again with some native Wonderlandians. That was when they broke out into uproaring laughter, some almost crying from it. Maddie spurted tea from her nose when she heard the joke as well. Her pet dormouse Earl Grey fell out of his cup and into Maddie's from his laughing fit. Lizzie merely glowed with happy pride as she stuck close to her boyfriend, earning much approval from her people.
Kevin took Faybelle with him as his date to the ceremony. Like Arthur and Raven, many gave the odd couple looks of suspicion. Knights typically did not pair with dark fae after all. Especially when local gossip kept saying he was supposed to be with Ashlynn Ella.
Max was with Ramona Wolf and they were given a bit of a wide berth even if cameras took their pictures. Ramona looked distinctly uncomfortable, wearing the same dress she had worn when Max visited her house. It was likely the only formal dress she had since she preferred wild fashion, but the fact she was willing to wear it as Max's date made him happy. He was glad to know she would do her best to fit in even if she didn't like the formal scene. He did promise, afterward, they'd go wild at the Red Shoes Dance Club.
Meeshell and Ben were also receiving stares but merely because of Ben's size. Some were intimidated, not realizing he was really a gentle giant. Crowds weren't his things and he really wanted to go hide his face in his armor, but Meeshell gave him reassuring looks and stuck by his side. She was a bit shy too but being with him gave her a bit of confidence. It would take baby steps but one day everyone would see Ben as she did, the gentle and kind young man she fell for.
The other mingled with their dates, being a bit more neutral or simply didn't get any attention. Being the second daughter, Poppy didn't get the same attention that Holly did, so she and Tristan were fine. Harry seemed to drift closer to Briar now and then, but it seemed they weren't sure how close they wanted to be yet. Kyle and Duchess seemed to act like they merely crossed paths and decided to stay together for similar company. Rob and Nina seemingly couldn't go too far without striking up a conversation with someone from one of the serving staff, a guest, and even a reporter or two.
Arthur heard whispers from one of the organizers nearby that all of the important guests had arrived and the ceremony would start soon. In a fit of inspiration, it gave Arthur an idea. Excusing himself from Raven, he quickly rounded up his fellow Riders.
"Hey, guys. How about we make a grand entrance for the ceremony?" Arthur asked with an almost silly grin.
"What do you have in mind?" Lance asked. Arthur told them and they all began to grin in agreement.
The stage was set up in front of the school, but at the back of the stage like a backdrop was a large glass panel which had an etching of what the repaired school would look like to help hide some of the still visible damage from the Shereghost Attack. It was a pretty sight, which was what the organizers had aimed for.
Snow White herself came to the front of the stage, chiming against a champagne glass as she got everyone's attention.
"Thank you all for coming. I know many of you think it is odd we hold such a ceremony in front of Ever After High, but I felt it appropriate. Here is where such a terrible event happened, but it is also here where fourteen young men and women proved their worth and took the next step towards their destinies." Snow White walked to the side of the stage as she continued, "A collection of tales once thought lost, they returned to us in obscurity and save for fantastic sightings with their fellow students, fairy tale society at large seemed unaware of them. And as such, we would like to announce the heroes of the day to come forward and share their names." Snow White announced to the crowd and flashing cameras, "I present to you all, the next generation of the Knights of the Round!"
At first, people clapped and whistled, expecting the knights in question to appear. When nothing happened, the clapping began to slow down and be replaced with confusion. Apple and Raven looked at each other in worry. Where had their boyfriends gone? This was their big chance to impress their parents and they were going to blow it!
Gasps erupted from the crowd, prompting the girls and Snow White to turn. The ornamental glass panel with an etching of the repaired school on it began to ripple and distort. Many of them in the know feared it was an impending Mirror Monster attack and prepared to start running. Fortunately, the thought vanished when Scissors stepped out of the mirror, decked in his full armor.
"A-ah, here they are!" Snow White quickly recovered. "Knight of the Crab, Sir Scissors!"
Scissors began walking to the far left of the stage. He was soon followed by Raia emerging.
"Knight of the Stingray, Sir Raia." Snow White continued as Raia walked to the far right.
One by one, the Riders emerged from the glass decoration, earning applause and cheers of admiration for their flashy entrance. Ever the showwoman, Snow White rolled with their appearance expertly, announcing each one before they would move to stand in a line with the others, slowly filling the stage. Each of the Riders seemed to earn more cheer from a particular clique. Tiger got cheers from the animals, Verde the Wonderlandians, Femme the princesses, etc.
It ended when Ryuki stepped out last, as the apparent leader of the group "And our next King Arthur, Knight of the Red Dragon, Sir Ryuki!"
Ryuki stepped forward and stood in line with his friends. As one, they removed their decks, letting their armor shatter away. All of their girlfriends gave noticeably louder cheers and whistles, although with the din of the applause, only those that knew them actually heard it.
"I present our heroes! Our Knights of the Round Table!" Snow White announced as a dwarf waddled up to her, holding a wooden case filled with medals. Two more dwarves came up under him, allowing him to match Snow White's height so she wouldn't have to bend over for them.
She traveled down the line, presenting a medal to loop over the head of each Rider so it hung in the middle of their chests. The medals were gold and had an engraved emblem of a book with a feather quill in front of a sun and moon. A symbol of making a heroic tale that would not be forgotten.
As she came to Lance, while she was giving him the medal, she whispered, "You have a good start, but you have a long way to go before I approve of you over a Charming for my daughter's story."
Lance smirked, "Then I'll just have to keep working hard."
"Good boy," Snow White nodded. Then she came to Arthur and offered her own advice, "Wonderful entrance, but you almost missed your cue. Try to brush up on your dramatic timing and let your organizers know about it."
"I'll be sure to do that, Your Majesty," Arthur replied, accepting her advice.
After she finished handing out their awards, Snow White spoke again, "And now, as required, a speech. Noble knights, do you have a representative chosen to speak on your behalf?"
The knights all looked to Arthur who stepped forward. He saw the audience, the cameras, and he knew that everyone all across the fairy tale world was watching him. He also saw Headmaster Grimm looking quite sourly at him. He looked around before his gaze fell upon Raven Queen. The stress lifted off his shoulders as he knew exactly what to say.
"Hi, I'm Arthur Pendragon, the Dragon Knight Ryuki. Speaking here, I'm sure many of you hexpect my words to show the valor, honor, and the reward of fighting the good fight. Any knight would proudly do so and we in many ways are no exception." Arthur steeled himself, keeping his eyes on Raven as her encouraging smile helped him stay calm. "But when the good fight needs to be fought, our thoughts did not go out to what stories they would tell about us, the fame we would achieve, or any kind of material reward we would be given," He smiled at Raven. "What drove me, us, in our battles, was the desire to see the people we hold dear safe and smiling in a place where danger would not touch them. Glory? Reward? Those were just side goals to what we truly sought: the health and happiness of those near and dear to us. To us, that was the greatest prize of all, to see those smiling faces where they didn't have to fear monsters, evils, or any other dark fate which may have been set upon them." He smiled warmly, making Raven blush and quietly sigh in happiness, "That is our duty as Knights of the Round Table. Now, and forevermore!"
Arthur's words carried much weight as they sincerely came from his heart. Snow White smiled in approval and the audience broke out into loud cheers. Pictures were snapped as the Riders stepped forward to present themselves for photo opportunities alongside Snow White and other officials.
That was such an awesome speech!
As expected of a future king.
And so the celebration commenced, rewarding the brave knights and recognizing them for their valor.
After Arthur's speech, the knights joined the garden party, dividing to mingle with their individual cliques and group of friends.
Lance and Apple posed for pictures, looking as photogenic as any royal couple should. Apple seemed to handle the press very well and Lance followed her lead. Many people asked why Apple was with Lance when it seemed Daring Charming was in the lead to be her Prince Charming. Especially when Lance was supposed to be the next Lancelot.
Apple and Lance took it in stride, explaining their own feelings and a desire to explore the relationship to its fullest. Of course, they made it clear their stories were meant to intertwine and become something new and wonderful.
Gwen found herself cornered by King and Queen Charming, apparently wishing to discuss her relationship with their daughter. Arthur couldn't tell from the glimpse he saw, but it seemed that it was at least civil. Neither parent seemed visibly upset with their princess daughter wishing to be courted by a princess knight.
Now, Raven was leading Arthur to a table where an older gentleman sat. He wore royal red and golden robes. He also sported a black beard peppered with gray. Jolliness seemed to define him and he had a sparkle in his eyes which, frankly, Arthur would have expected to see in Santa Claus. The crown on his head though made it clear his social rank. Raven's next words just proved who Arthur expected him to be.
"Dad," Raven smiled at the man who stood up and gave her a hug.
"Ah, Raven, it's been too long for this old man," the man, the Good King, smiled as he embraced his daughter. "How are you? I heard it's been wild up here, to say the least."
"Some good, some bad," Raven admitted, drawing back. "But much more good than bad."
"Always good news," the Good King nodded. He glanced over and took in Arthur, "Ah, so this must be the strapping young man you told me about. Arthur Pendragon?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Arthur nodded.
"Bah, I get that enough at home!" Good King chuckled as he extended his hand. "Just call me Good King. We're all royalty here, aren't we?"
"Yes sir," Arthur smiled, shaking the king's hand. He was greeting true royalty. How cool was that? "It's an honor to meet you, sir. Raven's told me a lot about you."
"Oh, she has, has she?" the Good King's eyes twinkled. "Good things, I hope. So, young Pendragon, how in the world did you make a dragon into your familiar?" Arthur knew he had to give a good answer. Knights did not traditionally have familiars.
"On the day I received my knighthood, we bonded," Arthur answered. "We fight together and watch out for each other in battle."
"I'd say so if you let him cover you in fire," Good King chuckled. "I couldn't ever trust a dragon not to burn me like that!"
(-)
Merlin was in attendance as well, happy that his knights were awarded for their actions. It made him feel proud to watch his wards coming up in the world. Like the last group he picked helped the rise of Camelot. He caught sight of Headmaster Grimm, looking quite sour and decided to throw a few jabs his way.
"Milton, why do you look so sour? Sucked on a lemon or something?" the wizard's grin was downright infuriating for the stuffy headmaster.
"Just what I needed," Milton all but growled. "I'll have you know I had suffered through the worst reaming out I had in my entire career. I don't know who released the footage from the security crystal balls I hid in the school, but the parents were furious with me about those creatures attacking!"
"Well, can you blame them?" Merlin shrugged. "An army of weird monsters ransack the school and threaten their kids. Yet, despite how chaotic it was, none of them heard of it until after the fact when someone made an online stream telling the event."
"I would have reported it. We just had to make sure things were firmly in hand," Milton retorted.
"Funny. The way I heard it, you were obsessing over that darn book and kind of pushing everything else to the wayside," Merlin shot back. "Of course, the kids were going to start talking when they calmed down and had some time to process what happened."
"With the book being sabotaged like it was?! I had to prioritize!" Milton frowned.
"Was it sabotaged, though? Maybe it has a will of its own." Merline suggested. "Destiny isn't some kind of resource or commodity. It's an ever-changing and ever-present aspect of the universe. Inescapable, maybe, but I've never been one to believe you can just force it down one avenue just because you want it to."
"The destinies of these students are what keeps our world together," Milton huffed, his grip tightening around his glass. "Without it, everything will fall apart."
"Perhaps," Merlin admitted. "But clearly the destinies of these kids doesn't mean they have to follow their parents' fates. If Ms. Queen's second destiny means anything, it means there might be more stories left to write and collect."
"Hmph! We Grimms have already found every story worth finding," Milton huffed, turning up his nose. "There are no stories left to find. All that's left is to ensure destiny is fulfilled so that they can continue on."
"If you think so but these kids might surprise you and decide to write their own stories instead. It's already starting a revolution," Merlin stated.
"Bah! Youthful rebellion. They will all fall in line. They always do," Milton brushed him off and walked to mingle with the crowd and perhaps try to repair his reputation.
Merlin smirked, whispering under his breath "The fact that Ms. Badwolf and Ms. Hood even exist is proof you long since lost what little grasp over destiny you had, Milton."
(-)
After the award ceremony, everyone went home and the knights returned to the library to marvel at their new medals.
"A good day, huh?" Lance asked Arthur who was still admiring his medal.
"Yeah," Arthur smiled. "Hey, Lance?"
"Hm?"
"When we were fighting the Spawner and were about to get killed, what were you thinking about before we destroyed it?"
"Well, I was thinking about Apple. You?"
"Raven. Do you think that's what did it?"
"Not a clue," Lance shook his head. "It wasn't until after it really hit me that we did it. Wish our armor didn't get torn up though. Lost that handkerchief Apple gave me. You know how serious it was for her to give me that? Princesses and ladies did that to show heavy favor to knights they had their hearts set on, you know."
"You actually researched something?" Arthur raised an eyebrow.
"Sure. When I wanted to know everything I could to make sure I swept Apple off her feet," Lance shrugged. "A lady giving favor like that is a huge deal in jousting and things like that."
"The only thing I was thinking was that I wouldn't see Raven again," Arthur confessed. "The handkerchief just reminded me that she was waiting for me. It reminded me that I had to survive for her."
"Well, maybe it's the magic of love," Lance suggested.
"Are you serious?" Arthur asked, not expecting something like that from Lance.
"C'mon, think about it. This place is full of magic. Who can say that love isn't some kind of magic?"
Arthur wanted to dismiss that logic, a habit from living on Earth all his life. He had to stop himself from doing it since he remembered where he was. He was in a world of living fairy tales. The magic of love was a real thing. Like how Rapunzel cured her blinded prince, Cinderella was given the chance to find her one true love, and the first kiss of true love saved Snow White and Sleeping Beauty from a fate worse than death. Love was not only real but a clearly powerful thing.
"You might be onto something there, Lance." Arthur admitted.
"Darn right I am," Lance laughed. "Anyway, Apple invited me to come to some kind of casual after-party. None of that stiff upper crust stuff. She said all of us knights are invited."
"And I assume at least her circle of friends are dragging their boyfriends along?" Arthur smiled.
"Darn right. More chance for us teens to chat and blow off steam," Lance grinned. "Now come on, everyone who was at the award ceremony is invited. Royal or Rebel doesn't matter so everyone's coming."
"Let me see if Raven's up for it," Arthur sighed, pulling out his phone.
Midas Tower
"You really wanted to come?" Arthur commented as he and Raven walked between the mingling attendees.
"Of course I did," Raven smirked. "A chance to sit down and decompress with Dad and my friends? That's half the reason he came."
It was really a more casual affair than the awards ceremony. It was held in the Midas' Hotel's conference room. All sorts of sofas and lounges were set up for everyone to just sit in circles of friends and just casually chat. No formal clothing was there. Stylish perhaps, but very casual as everyone was just relaxing and decompressing with friends. Really, all of the parents were treating it as an impromptu class reunion
It was really a much more relaxed setting than the introduction to the parents or the award ceremony.
Lance had already met up with Apple who was with Snow White in her circle of old friends and her dwarf bodyguards. Naturally, the woman looked glamorous but much more relaxed. No pointed questions, no formal meetings, just a circle of friends, and new acquaintances enjoying snacks and conversation.
Rapunzel had stolen Gabe away, insisting he sit in her lap so she could coo and cuddle over him. Gabe looked especially grumpy over that. Holly didn't look much better, pouting at her mother for monopolizing her boyfriend like a little boy. Holly and Tristan were snickering over the sight, but tried not to let it show.
Ramona was taking great joy in being able to snuggle against Max, even exaggerating how she sat in his lap, just to see her father start to growl. Of course, Red was there and with great experience, would pinch his side where no one would notice to make him stop. She'd give him a stern look and Bigby would turn away...until Ramona relocated Max somewhere else where he could see.
"Now you're just torturing him," Max muttered to his she-wolf girlfriend.
"Payback for how he tried to mess with you during dinner," Ramona shrugged. "Now kiss me and let's really cheese him off!"
Harry found himself stuck between Briar and Sleeping Beauty, both of whom had fallen asleep on his shoulders. Worse, Briar was being clingy again, keeping him from even moving around to try and wake them up politely.
Darling was curled up on a couch against Gwen. Now it was obvious that the two were a couple. Daring and Dexter seemed to be keeping an eye on them to make sure they didn't do anything inappropriate. King and Queen Charming seemed to take it with grace, apparently just fine with their daughter dating another girl.
The others were mingling either with their girlfriends if they had one, or just relaxing on a couch with some people they were getting to know. It was very much a casual affair for parents to spend some time with their children along with some friends they had.
Raven and Arthur took seats next to the Good King, starting a conversation with him and some friends he had already begun talking to. None of them batted an eye at Raven's presence, clearly already knowing she was a good girl or didn't want to get on the Good King's bad side by talking badly about her. They did take an interest in Arthur, wanting to hear more about him and ask questions about his armor or some of the monsters which kept popping up. Arthur answered as best as he could, but he felt a little out of his depth. Fortunately, he did not have to go through it alone as he had Raven by his side.
*Eeeeeeeeeeeee!*
Arthur paled as the tone suddenly hit his ears.
"Oh no...not now!"
"Hm?" Good King blinked. "Arthur my boy, what's the matter?"
Raven saw his grimace and paled, knowing that look, "Oh no."
The other Riders heard the ringing too and were looking for the source. It was Rex and Ben who found it first. Then again, they could not miss it as they saw the monsters appear in the reflections of glass-covered portraits. In front were Meeshell and Ginger, both gossiping about sweets from the undersea kingdoms. The glass ripped before an equine monster leaped from its surface, lunging for the mermaid princess.
"Look out!" Ben shouted loudly, lunging in to save them. He crashed into the monster with the force of a freight train, knocking it to the ground in a heap. Ben remained on his feet, standing protectively in front of a now frightened Meeshell and Ginger.
At first glance, the monster appeared like a Zebraskull, not unlike the ones which attacked Holly and Poppy at the theatre. This one was different though. It sported polished silver panels instead of gold ones like the others did. It also sported a metallic horn from its forehead.
This was a new subspecies dubbed Zebraskull Horn.
The monster let off an equine cry before it turned around and jumped back into a polished gold decoration on the wall. Ben sighed and glanced at Meeshell who glomped him in a hug, trembling from the sudden fright.
"It's okay, it's okay," Ben whispered to her.
"Ben, that will have to wait!" Rex shouted to his comrade, running to the gold panel. People were whispering in shock and whispers of the guests. "We can't let it get away!"
"Right!" Ben nodded, adrenaline, and the surprise keeping his shyness at bay. He held Meeshell's shoulders. "Hey, I'll be back. Okay? We'll take care of this and we'll come right back."
"U-uh huh," Meeshell nodded, reluctantly letting her boyfriend go. The Little Mermaid was already at her daughter's side to take up comforting her as Ben ran to where Rex was preparing to transform.
"We'll go after the monster!" Rex shouted to his fellow Riders. "The rest of you make sure no more come!" He then retrieved his Odin Advent Deck and presented it to the reflection. His gold V-Buckle belt appeared, wrapping around his waist. Beside him, Ben did the same, summoning his metal V-Buckle.
"Henshin," Rex announced as he slid the Advent Deck into his golden V-Buckle. As Rex's armor appeared over him, an image of golden wings spread out behind him before fading.
"Henshin!" Ben called, sliding his deck into place. In a flourish of grayscale suits, he became adorned in his Abyss armor.
Both Riders nodded to each other before they entered the reflection, going into the Mirror World to pursue the monster.
"Where did they go?" the Good King wondered.
"They went to the Mirror World to fight it," Arthur answered. As he and the other Riders possessed their Advent Decks, they could clearly see what was happening on the other side.
"Is there a way we can see what's happening?"
Arthur pondered it before he looked to another reflection, "Mira Mirror, I know you see. Can you hear me?"
In another flourish out of a golden wall panel, Mira appeared in that handy way she always did. With a smile, she greeted Arthur, "I am here, so there is nothing to fear! Any monster that tries to come in, will only end up in the rubbish bin!"
"Wait, she looks familiar," Snow White frowned slightly.
"Mira Mirror, please help me," Arthur began. "Into the Mirror World can we see?"
"If you wish to see then leave it to me," Mira offered. She waved her hand over the wall and it turned into a giant mirror but instead of reflecting them, it acted as a window, allowing them to view the Mirror World.
And they watched as Abyss and Odin fought against the Zebraskull Horn together.
Midas Tower - Mirror World
Odin stalked towards the Zebraskul Horn, gripping his Gold Visor tightly. The monster snarled and lunged for the attack, extending its blades. They came in close, but Odin merely swung his Visor, catching the monster across the head and knocking it back.
Coming up from the side, Abyss drew one of his cards, one depicting a pair of sawblade-like swords. Opening the mouth of his Abyss Visor, he slipped the card inside before clamping it shut again.
[Sword Vent!]
Abyss raised his arms, catching the same swords as depicted in his card. With a yell, he charged for the Zebraskull Horn and began to slash at it, catching it across the chest before it started to mount a defense.
Midas Tower - Real World
Meeshell was no stranger to the Riders' fights and she had witnessed Ben fighting to protect her before. After all, he was a shark knight and the shark was known to be a vicious predator. Her mother, on the other hand, was stunned that the shy and gentle boy that she had been introduced to before could fight so violently.
Odin reached to his belt to draw his own card, but suddenly felt something strike him in the back. Grunting, he spun around and found another Zebraskull Horn snarling at him with its swords drawn.
"Ah good. I was afraid I was going to get bored!" Odin remarked, drawing his card which depicted a pair of gold wing-like swords. Pulling on his Visor, he revealed a chamber in the base of the phoenix ornament. He put his card in the Visor's chamber before sliding it close.
[Sword Vent!]
The Visor vanished in a flourish of gold feathers, letting Odin grip the two sabers in his hands as he faced the second Zebraskull Horn. The Zebraskull Horn lunged at Odin only to stumble as he disappeared in a flash of gold feathers. He reappeared behind the monster and landed two slashes with his swords. It spun around to attack but Odin teleported behind his opponent to attack it again. It may not be knightly to attack an opponent from behind, but he did not need to fight honorably against a mindless monster. As the Zebraskull Horn spun around to strike him, Odin slashed at it repeatedly, sending it backpedaling before he jabbed it with his blades, sending it tumbling.
As the monster groaned and picked itself up, Odin drew the card to finish off this beast. Like all the Final Vents, it bore his symbol with a shining brown background.
[Final Vent!]
What appeared next was a creature that was more majestic than a dragon and equally more beautiful. It was Odin's Contract Monster, Goldphoenix, a golden mechanical phoenix covered in a fiery gold aura. Like dragons, phoenix's were symbols of great power, and to tame one was no easy feat.
Midas Tower - Real World
"A phoenix!?" many of the more magically-inclined people gasped when they saw Goldphoenix appear.
Like dragons, a phoenix was a powerful magical creature who even other fairy tales told stories about. They were rare, and few even found so much as a feather of one for potent potions or magical items. Dragons were well-documented but phoenixes were a myth even to other fairy tales. To see Odin with one was a shock for many of the witnesses.
"So pretty," Ginger gasped, awed by the golden bird.
Midas Tower - Mirror World
Goldphoenix picked up Odin with its talons and lifted its contractor up into the air, the both of them enveloped in a blazing aura. They then dove at the Zebraskull Horn, executing a devastating flying tackle attack. The Zebraskull Horn exploded on impact and Odin landed on his feet, with Goldphoenix hovering over him.
[Advent!]
The second Zebraskull leaped back from Abyss, who dismissed one of his swords. It prepared to lunge, but suddenly found itself assaulted by a pair of new Mirror Monsters. Both had sea-green armor on their bodies and had a shark-like image. One, Abysslasher, had a shark-like head with hollowed eyes and a grille mouth. The other, Abysshammer, had a hammerhead-like attachment on its chest which it used as a gun. Its head was smaller, sporting a single red eye and a mouth full of sharp teeth. Both monsters lunged for the Zebraskull Horn, the Abysslasher cutting it with swords like Abyss' while the Abysshammer blasted it with its hammerhead gun.
Abyss soon joined in and the three tore at the Zebraskull like a hungry school of sharks. Abyss usually did not promote such tactics, but when the monster tried to take away his girlfriend, the beautiful mermaid who seemed to always see something to admire in him, Abyss found his dark side rising to the fore. His protective instincts seemed to always allow his vicious side to come out.
"RAH!" Abyss roared as he and Abysslasher made a cross strike across the Zebraskull Horn's chest. The monster stumbled back, disoriented before the Rider and his Contract partner moved out of the way. Abysshammer stepped up where they had been, gripping the fins of its gun before unleashing a powerful blast, causing a small explosion on the Zebraskull Horn and making it fall back.
With the Zebraskull Horn significantly weakened, Abyss drew his Final Vent card which bore his symbol surrounded by a shining blue background and fed it into his Visor.
[Final Vent!]
The Abysslasher and Abysshammer were both surrounded by a swirl of water before they emerged as one. Water splashed all around Abyss as his fused Contract Monster hovered above him.
Its name was Abyssodon, a mechanical black and blue shark monster with jaws filled with razor-sharp teeth. It bore a resemblance to his Abyss Visor, roaring as it seemed to swim in the air as if it was water.
"Go!" Abyss commanded.
The mechanical shark extended a chainsaw blade from its nose and dove at the Zebraskull Horn to land a vicious slash. Rising into the air above it, its eyes popped out as it deployed its machineguns and blasted a rapid-fire barrage at the monster, riddling it with bullets and chipping away at it. Finally, Abyss jumped onto Abyssodon's back and it surged toward the Zebraskull Horn with him riding it. He drew his arm back and landed a powerful haymaker with his Abyss Visor. The Zebraskull Horn let out a death-cry as it exploded, releasing its core which Abyssodon hungrily gobbled up.
With both Zebraskull Horns dispatched, it was time to return to the party.
"Let's head back," Odin said and Abyss nodded as they exited the Mirror World and returned to the real world. The two were soon greeted by cheers and applause with many crowding around Odin, asking about his phoenix.
"What's going on?" Abyss asked.
"We asked Mira to show everyone your battle," Arthur explained. "We saw the whole thing."
"Oh…" Abyss blinked. He removed his armor, letting it shatter away. Suddenly his mind filled with worry about how he presented himself. He visibly tore into the Zebraskull with his swords and even summoned his monsters to gang up on it. Then his Final Vent with Abyssodon looked like a dictionary definition of overkill. Would Meeshell's mother think he was too violent for her now? Would she forbid him from seeing her again? Would he lose her before even finding out what they were...?
"Ben!" Meeshell ran up to the boy. She captured him in a tight and warm hug, nuzzling into him. Ben immediately hugged her back, enjoying holding her smaller frame. "You're okay! You're okay!"
"Of course. There's no monster that can beat this shark," Ben told her. She always managed to bring him out of his shell.
A musical giggle alerted him to someone approaching and he paled slightly when he saw it was Meeshell's mother, "You very much are a protective shark when it comes to my daughter, aren't you?"
Ben gulped, "I...um…"
"Oh no, do not be ashamed," Queen Pearl shook her head. "To be so fiercely protective of someone you love is something to be proud of. Better yet, you can end that feeling when the battle is over. This just makes me see many more of the qualities my daughter sees within you, Sir Ben."
"Thank you. Mother," Meeshell smiled, earning an embarrassed blush from Ben.
Meanwhile, Rex was finding himself mobbed by people asking questions about Goldphoenix. Many of his fellow students just wanted to know if some of the stories they heard about such birds were true or if they could touch it, or if there were more of them in the Mirror World. Many of the adults seemed to have more practical questions. Did Goldphoenix shed feathers they could buy? Did Goldphoenix lay eggs or could lead them to a nest? Could the flames alone be harvested for some purpose? Pieces of a phoenix could be a potent ingredient for many magical processes and plenty wanted to see if they could cash in.
The Good King watched and looked to Arthur, "Doesn't it bother you that one of your future knights has a creature which is usually ranked higher than your dragon in terms of magic power?"
Arthur shrugged, "The red dragon has always represented King Arthur. It's a symbol of pride and kingship. There's no shame in someone else having a different partner that's more popular than mine."
The Good King chuckled, "Good answer, lad. The red dragon is indeed your symbol. Just ensure it becomes famous enough to match anything else out there."
When the after-party ended, Arthur offered to take Raven back to the dorm. Instead of going straight back, however, he had summoned his warhorse to take Raven out on a romantic moonlit ride. They rode through the open field, the wildflowers giving color as the moon and stars hung in the air.
He claimed to want to take the scenic route. Raven, of course, knew he just wanted to spend some time alone with just her.
"Long day," Arthur sighed, letting Raven rest her back against him.
"Mm-hm," Raven nodded. "You took it really well. Didn't you say you hated to be in the spotlight?"
"I still do," Arthur admitted. "And that speech was hard to do. But focusing on one person made it much easier."
Raven smiled. Some might call Arthur a romantic or perhaps even innocent, but Raven liked his style of romance. To him, she was a princess and he treated her like one. He didn't use cheesy lines or weird pickups. He was just honest and made his intentions plain and clear.
"Dad likes you," Raven admitted. "He was really happy I met a nice boy like you. He thinks it was you who allowed the Storybook of Legends to show me a second destiny."
"I don't know if it was me, but I'd fight that book to give you a new one if it didn't," Arthur smiled. "So all I have to do now is build the new one with you."
"Hm, my Happily Ever After, so close," Raven beamed, holding Arthur's hands.
The pair rode before they came to an overlook on a hill. In front of them, fireflies danced around the flowers, making for a scenic and peaceful view. The Enchanted Forest and the surrounding area was full of such places, but sharing one together just made it feel special. Arthur couldn't help but stop so they could watch it. Raven certainly didn't argue.
"Raven?"
"Hm?"
"May I kiss you?"
Raven turned to gaze at Arthur, "Of course you can. You never have to ask." The couple leaned in and let their lips press together. It was the first true kiss for both of them and they wanted to enjoy it.
'So perfect,' the two thought in bliss.
Book End Library
Merlin did not attend the after-party. Instead, he was going over the monster attacks that had taken place. It seemed strange that the monsters chose to attack while the Riders were nearby when they could have had better luck attacking their victims when they were not likely to be protected. The simultaneous attack on Raven and Apple did not count since it happened as Lance carelessly allowed the Magazelle to escape.
What was more, for how vicious the monsters acted, they went down quickly when the Riders fought them. They only needed to be whittled down a little before the Riders could destroy them with their Final Vents. Quick, easy, and done in a fairy tale minute. To Merlin, that alone was fishy as even experienced knights had to fight monsters for a much more intensive and longer fight.
Was it possible that someone was sending the monsters to test his Riders? Sending the runts of litters just to see how they would react? Also, were they targeting princesses specifically?
I just love a good love story. Don't you too, Mom, Dad?
Well, I would prefer it if Raven followed her destiny.
She is following her destiny and her heart.
And did you guys see Rex's phoenix! So awesome!
It was indeed a majestic creature. Perfect for the future Sir Percival.
A/N: Well, here's the third part of the aftermath of the Shereghost Attack. Of course, we finally get to see Odin and Abyss fight. A little overdue, but I think it turned out okay.