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 16: The Hunted
Oh man, what the hex is going on? How did Scout of all people get an Advent Deck?
Brooke, now's not the time and remember your spoilers!
Ahem, we return once again to the world of Ever After High. Sadly, this time we do not begin in the sunny halls of the school, but rather in another place during a time of peril.
Book End - Streets
Cerise panted as she turned down a side street, trying to keep ahead of her pursuer. Not that she could see it half the time since it kept jumping back and forth between the Mirror World and hers.
She had just been out in Book End, doing some shopping when she heard that familiar annoying screech that signaled when a Mirror Monster would appear. Frantic, she tried to find the source, if only to warn people and maybe keep it from snagging someone until Gawain or one of the other knights could show up to take care of it. Unfortunately for her, the monster had decided that Cerise looked like a juicy meal and tried to grab her.
So Cerise ran, and she ran fast. Sadly for her, the monster that was chasing her was just as fast.
"Woo woo woo!"
Cerise ducked as the monster came flying from a nearby window and rolled across the street before coming back to its feet. It was a Zelle, sporting the same body shape and armor as others of its kind. What made it stand out was that its armor was white with red accenting and its large horns were shaped like a water buffalo's. This was the subtype of Zelle known as a Negazelle.
"Gawain, now would be a really good time for you to show up," Cerise grimaced.
The Negazelle snarled and began to slowly stalk towards Cerise, ready to pounce if she tried to move…
[Shoot Vent!]
Several arrows suddenly cut through the air, striking the Negazelle in a shower of sparks, causing it to scream and stumble back. Cerise gasped and turned to see which of the knights had come to save her this time.
It was one she hadn't seen before.
This Rider wore a dark green bodysuit, dark like the forest leaves with silver armbands and greaves on his limbs. The actual gloves and boots were brown like leather. Around his waist was a V-Buckle, with a dark green Advent Deck that bore an inverted triangle shaped like a diving falcon. His torso armor was green down the middle, opening to a triangle at the collar. The sides were a leathery brown with lines connecting the two sides, making it look like a vest. The shoulder plates were triangular, looking like small open wings. On his left arm was a small crossbow Visor with arms and an arrowhead shaped like a hawk's wings and head. In his other hand was a large bow, the arms resembling a series of brown and green interconnecting arrowheads. Finally the helmet sported a smooth mouthpiece while the helmet's visor was wing-shaped at both ends with slits running across the surface. The top of the head was pointed out like Robin Hood's cap with a red stone in the brow.
"Sparrow?" Cerise couldn't help but think.
"Ah ha ha! The foul beast thought it could hunt in my territory, did it?" the new knight laughed rather gallantly. "It will soon learn the folly of that little mistake."
The Negazelle got up, snarling, before it started charging at the Rider in a fury.
"Simple bestial tactics. At least make it a challenge!" the Rider huffed before he began firing more arrows. He didn't even need to reload. Instead he just pulled back the string of his bow and an arrow would appear to be fired. Fire he did, unleashing a rapid volley of shots which peppered the Nagazelle's chest, elbows, and knees, making it flail and then stumble once again, depriving it of movement.
"All too easy!" the Rider laughed, clearly hamming it up for Cerise and anyone else who was watching.
The Negazelle huffed and got its legs under itself before it managed to begin jumping. It bounced around the area, trying to confuse the Rider with its movement. It was certainly going too fast for him to try and shoot it with his bow.
"Now that's more like it," he nodded. He dismissed his bow in a gust of wind. Reaching to his belt, he drew a card which depicted a pair of feather-shaped daggers. He pulled the drawstring of his arm-mounted crossbow back, revealing a chamber under the weapon before slipping the card inside. He then clenched his fist, making the chamber close.
[Sword Vent!]
From a window, a pair of brown and green daggers shaped somewhat like falcon feathers spun out into his waiting hands. Once he caught them, the Negazelle lunged for another attack. The Rider huffed and ducked before stabbing up as the Negazelle moved past, creating a rain of sparks as the monster fell in a heap.
The Negazelle groaned and got up, but the Rider was already upon it, slashing with several strikes across its body, aiming for vital areas. The sight made Cerise pale since she saw hunters practice like that all the time in Hood Hollow. It was for when hunters were faced with dangerous animals, aiming for the vital areas even while the monster attacked.
Somehow, she doubted this was a misunderstanding like with Gawain.
"Ha!" the Rider delivered a cross strike, knocking the monster back. "A fine warm-up, but not the challenge I was hoping for. Still, a fair maiden remains at risk with you running around, and so…" he tossed his daggers away and drew another card, this one depicting his emblem surrounded by a dark green light. "I shall finish you!"
[Final Vent!]
Another pane of glass rippled at the end of the street before a new monster flew out of it. This one was humanoid, covered in mostly green armor with brown accenting. Its legs ended in bird-like talons while its arms were covered in brown and white armor which looked like feathers. Thick chest armor covered its torso, while its head was mostly yellow with a beak-like mouth plate and a red visor for eyes. It wore a brown wing-like headpiece, wings on the sides of its head, and what looked like a metal falcon feather rising from the back. Trailing behind it like a ponytail was a line of connected green and brown arrowheads.
The Rider lifted his hand as his bow reappeared. As the bird monster got closer, the Rider leaped into the air before coming back down to land on the monster's back. It didn't seem to slow down its flight, although it shouldn't have been able to fly in the first place. The Negazelle groaned and tried to get away, but the pair were too fast. They soared past the creature, but the Rider was quick and unleashed a volley of arrows as it did so. These ones pierced through the monster, making it scream before it fell over and exploded.
The Rider jumped off his monster's back before it spun around, returning to the remains of the destroyed monster to catch the rising sphere of life energy. With a satisfied shriek, not unlike a falcon, it dove back into a window for the Mirror World.
"You earned it, my pet," the Rider nodded. Looking around, he spotted Cerise and began walking towards her as he dismissed his bow again. Cerise couldn't help but flinch, which he noticed. "My apologies for letting one so fair see me act like such a brute. With animals such as that, there isn't much of a choice."
"R-right," Cerise gulped.
"Might I know your name, lovely maiden?" asked the Rider.
Not seeing much of a choice, Cerise answered, "Cerise Hood."
"Ah, Cerise Hood, the next Red Riding Hood," the Rider nodded. He bowed slightly, taking Cerise's hand and pressing it to his mouthplate, simulating a kiss. It made Cerise's skin crawl. "You may simply call me the Bow Knight, protector of civilization from the ravages of the wilderness." Releasing Cerise's hand, he turned and began walking towards another window, "I should hope we can meet again under far more comfortable circumstances!"
With that, he dove into the Mirror World, leaving onlookers to gush and gossip. Cerise herself looked down to the hand he pretended to kiss, "I need to wash my hands now."
Book End Library
Rumors and gossip spread quickly in Ever After High. As soon as Cerise told Rosabella, overheard by other students, the whole school soon knew about it. It was not long before the rumors reached the ears of the Riders. It was impossible for them to not hear about it since many people began asking them who their new comrade was. It thoroughly confused all of the Riders until videos of the event started to make the rounds.
This concerned the Riders and they turned to the only source of information to their powers that they had: Merlin himself.
Once school let out, Arthur made a beeline straight to Merlin's office. Merlin was almost always there during the day since paperwork, even for a library, was a beast that was almost impossible to defeat. The man himself blinked when Arthur stormed into his office, looking a little stressed.
"Uh, what's up?" Merlin asked. "You look like you've just seen a ghost."
Arthur didn't mince words.
"Merlin, did you recruit another Rider without telling us?" Arthur questioned.
This question made Merlin blink in confusion. A rare sight for him.
"What? No, I haven't done any of the sort," he denied. "Where did you hear about this?"
Arthur quickly pulled the video up on his phone, showing the self-proclaimed Bow Knight dealing with a Negazelle and rescuing Cerise. He had an actual Mirror Monster helping him, although it was a breed they hadn't seen before. His cards were in the same style as the Knights', and he even had a similar system at work, showing no difference between it and the Visors the Knights used.
"It's all over the school but Cerise was the one who saw them after they rescued her," Arthur explained. "So, who is it?"
Merlin watched the video carefully, his usual carefree demeanor replaced with his rarely seen serious one. It wasn't often that Merlin showed he was serious about anything. When he did get serious, that was when things were potentially bad, if not outright dire.
Sighing, Merlin shook his head, "I can't tell you because I don't know. I only had fourteen Advent Decks, given to you all. Whoever this Rider is, they're a wildcard."
Arthur paled as the implication hit him.
"And that means there's someone besides you who can give out Advent Decks."
Book End - Streets
Elsewhere in Book End, others were going on about their days and their lives. Rob and Nina were two of those people, enjoying some time together after school. It was just one of those ways they liked to hang out together. It did spread a rumor that the two were dating, which they were, but they weren't sure how serious the pair were.
Despite meeting Nina's mom, the couple didn't do a lot to show they were a couple. No PDA, no visible cuddles, no makeouts that people knew of. They would just hang out together, sometimes hold hands, but just look like friends having fun after school than a boyfriend-girlfriend pair. Still, it was their business, even if the gossips wanted to know more.
"So you don't know who he is at all?" asked Nina as she and Rob strolled down the street. Naturally, the topic of conversation was the new Bow Knight and how he might be connected to the other Riders. Everyone was wondering if the Knights of the Round Table had inducted a new member or not.
"Nah. We never saw him before and we never even heard of him until he showed up," Rob shrugged. "He's kind of a ham though, playing it up like he did."
"People think it could be Daring. It sounds like him," Nina nodded.
"Really?" Rob blinked. "I saw the video and he sounded a bit more arrogant than Daring." Daring could be vain to a high degree, but he was usually pretty competent with his skills. At least he could admit when he was in over his head. It didn't happen often since he got trained by his dad King Charming, but now and then he could admit to it.
"But isn't it good? We have a new knight that can help you protect Book End and Ever After High," Nina said.
"If we knew who the guy was and all that, probably," Rob shrugged. "But considering Merlin could only recruit us, it means someone else has the same tools. What if they're villains or something and Bow Knight's pretending to be a good guy? We don't know."
"Oh, good point," Nina slumped. "Still, I'd like to think he was a good guy. You wouldn't be at as much risk with those monsters with more friends."
"Aw thanks, Nina," Rob smiled, gently taking Nina's hand. "Sorry if I worry you though."
"I'm your girlfriend, of course I worry," Nina beamed back. Rob nodded and the pair continued their nice walk, wondering where they coil hang out for the afternoon...
*Eeeeeeeeeeee!*
"Ow!" Rob winced. "Every time!"
"A monster?" Nina perked up.
"Yeah. Pretty close too," Rob winced. "Sorry, Nina, but I'm going to have to bail on you for a bit."
"Don't mind me!" Nina insisted, but stole a quick kiss. "There. Good luck and come back safe."
"Right," Rob grinned. He pulled out his Advent Deck and moved to the closest window to prepare to transform.
*Eeeeee-!* "HAH!"
Rob was stopped when a nearby window rippled and the signal cut off. Flying from the window and crashing into a carriage was a groaning Zenobiter. It was woozy and had clearly taken a nasty blow to the head.
Coming out from the exit point after landing the blow was none other than the Bow Knight himself. He stood tall and proud, apparently not noticing the damage to the carriage he had inadvertently caused.
"Ugh. Another unworthy challenge. Why are all the monsters I find so weak?" the Bow Knight sounded bored and disappointed. He drew another card, this one depicting his partner with the name Guldwind at the top. Opening his Bow Visor, he slid the card inside.
[Advent]
The same monster - likely named Guldwind - emerged from the Mirror World, swooping in on the Zenobiter like a falcon. Guldwind swiped at the Zenobiter, the two monsters starting to tear at each other, damaging the carriage further in their brawl. The Bow Knight just stood back and watched, like he was watching a spectacle for amusement. More people who were watching just gaped, flinching back as the two monsters roared, fully intent on mauling each other. It was a frightening scene for the residents of Book End.
"He's letting them run wild," Rob gasped. He could see the two monsters trashing that carriage and Bow Knight just watching like it was a sport.
"This is just cruel," Nina gasped, watching the two monsters fight. Animals could get into fights, but this was just cruel as the two monsters seemed pressed to destroy each other.
Rob shook himself from his shock and quickly lifted his Advent Deck to a window. Summoning his belt, he quickly transformed.
"Henshin!"
His armor appeared, transforming him into Scissors before he charged into the fray. Coming to the two battling monsters, he jumped and landed a double kick on the Zenobiter, knocking it into the open street. Guldwind gave off a squawk and seemed angered by Scissors' interference.
"Hm? Ah, so one of you finally crosses paths with me," Bow Knight chuckled, noticing Scissors' arrival. "I wasn't having much fun with this one so I suppose I can let it go." He whistled sharply and Guldwind backed away from the battle.
"Huh? Hey, wait a sec-UGH" Scissors cried before the Zenobiter's boomerang nailed him across the face. "Ow! That hurt!" The Zenobiter merely snarled and threw its weapon again but Scissors was quick to claim a new card.
[Guard Vent!]
Scissors lifted his arm as a shield derived from Volcancer's back appeared on it. The Zenobiter's boomerang collided with its hard surface in a blast of sparks. Scissors then threw his arm aside, tossing the boomerang to the ground.
The Zenobiter let off a yelp, but Scissors didn't hesitate. Charging forward, he bashed his Shell Defense shield against the monster, knocking it back in a heap. Scissors quickly dismissed his shield as he got his next card out.
[Final Vent!]
Volcancer appeared on the scene, charging behind Scissors who leaped into the air. Volcancer brought its claws from underneath and launched Scissors through the air. Spinning, he came down hard and crushed the Zenobitoer in an explosion.
"Hot, hot, hot," Scissors grunted, hopping out of the flames. Behind him, Volcancer was quick to grab the Zenobiter's life energy with an excited crooning. As Volcancer ate, Scissors looked around for where Bow Knight had gone, but found him and Guldwind missing.
"Oh, that jerk," Scissors groaned. "He totally dumped his mess onto me!"
Sighing, Scissors immediately began to check around with Nina's help to make sure no one was hurt in the chaos. Fortunately, people were just surprised by the brutality of the two monsters. The carriage owner broke out into sobs when they saw what the two had done to his ride. Nina was just happy that the horses weren't hurt.
Ever After High - Student Lounge
Footage of the Bow Knight's next appearance had gone viral fast. Blondie and her two technicians were quick to dissect the footage and see what clues to the mysterious knight were there. However, they got distracted by the brutal brawl between the two monsters before Scissors arrived to end it. Seeing Bow Knight just bow out because he was bored only made the entire thing more surreal.
"Sheesh!" Dexter winced. "Talk about brutal! Arthur and the others never let their monsters run wild like that."
"Yeah. I don't think I've ever seen a Knight battle do that much damage outside the Shereghost Attack," Humphrey agreed.
"Which means he's a rogue element that must be investigated!" Blondie declared passionately.
Blondie Lockes, ever the investigative reporter, was trying to discern the identity of the new 'Bow Knight' almost as soon as he made his first appearance. Like many, she first pondered if Arthur, Lance, and the others were recruiting and expanding their ranks. That would be worth a story and lots of their fans would jump at perhaps their own chance to become Knights.
Still, none of the Knights she knew even knew the Bow Knight enlisted, much less who he was. It led Blondie to wonder who might be under the armor and what purpose they had in wearing it. They seemed to be in it for thrills, but was that really all?"
"Okay, so do we have any suspects?" asked Blondie.
Dexter scratched his head, "Well, plenty of people think it might be my brother Daring. This guy speaks all charming and does say a lot of the same things as my brother. He sounds pretty dashing really."
"Do you think it's him?" asked Humphrey.
"No way," Dexter shook his head. "If it was Daring, he would have been bragging about it everywhere. And on top of that, he wouldn't drop fighting a monster like that just because he got bored. Dad would have given him an earful if he was lazy about his princely duties like that."
"Hm, true," Blondie nodded. Bow Knight's apparent attitude and disregard for whoever was around eliminated Daring. The prince could be a bit full of himself at times, but he took all his princely duties seriously. Once he was doing something, he would put aside looking good for it later. Then again, he looked good doing just about anything so he didn't need to ham it up. "Humphrey, do you think it might be someone else?"
"Well, um, maybe it's Sparrow Hood?" asked Humphrey. "I mean, he's got the green outfit and his fighting style is a lot like his dad's."
"Are you sure?" Dexter questioned. "I mean, Sparrow's a showoff but he doesn't strike me as a fighter. I mean, sure, he's great at shooting a bow even if he likes music, but I don't think Sparrow's going to go out and hunt monsters with the Knights. I think he'd announce he was the Bow Knight too."
"Hmm, I don't think it's him either," Blondie shook her head, tapping her lip with a pen. "Even if he was hiding it to keep pressure off of him for his destiny, Sparrow doesn't just walk away from things if they bore him. I can see him maybe forgetting people are around if he gets excited, like when he breaks out into song randomly. He wouldn't just get up and leave in the middle of doing knightly things either. He likes to share the spotlight."
"Right, yeah," Humphrey agreed, seeing his theory fall apart. "What about you, Blondie? Do you have anyone in mind?"
"No, but we do have a profile. We need to look for someone who's self-centred, egotistical, and loves to show off," Blondie listed the qualities Bow Knight had exhibited. Sparrow and Daring were like that to a degree, but even they knew when to do the right thing. This Bow Knight, on the other hand, seemed to consider doing the right thing secondary to doing what would make him look more impressive. If a fight wasn't going to give him a thrill and glory, he apparently didn't see the point in finishing it.
"Hmm, do we know anyone like that right away?" asked Dexter. "Sure, some guys can be jerks sometimes but I can't think of anyone who would do what Bow Knight's doing."
"I...would avoid someone like that," Humphrey winced.
"I think I know. Scout Huntsman," Blondie spoke up.
"Who?" asked Dexter.
"Hunter's cousin," Blondie explained. "Ashlynn told me that he tried to blackmail her and Hunter so that he could become the next Huntsman for Apple and Cerise. It was why they chose to come out as a couple before the True Hearts Day dance. He loves to brag about his trophies and hunts constantly, but will abandon those hunts if he doesn't see action after too long. He only ever hunts for trophies and only animals that give him a challenge. If someone is watching him do it, like an attractive princess, then all the better for him."
"How do you know that?" asked Dexter.
"Of course I'd research the jerk who tried to make my friend's life miserable," Blondie huffed.
Humphrey frowned, "That sounds kind of specific. It can't be that easy, can it? If I was Scout, I'd be hiding my identity."
"Maybe he just doesn't care about hiding who he is all that much," Dexter suggested. "He could be waiting for the right time to reveal himself. Like the mysterious knight earning the praise of the king, only to show he's secretly a pauper."
"It would be a good ego boost," Blondie nodded, making a note. "Still, we have our first suspect so let's investigate. If he is the Bow Knight, we'll unmask him to the world. If not, then we'll just keep the investigation going. Great news isn't made overnight!"
"Right!" Dexter and Humphrey raised their fists in determination.
Dexter then paused, "So, how do we do that? Are we supposed to wait and catch him transforming or what?"
"Simple, team," Blondie grinned. "We simply go out and find Scout and just investigate what he does. We check any alibis as to where he was when Bow Knight showed up. We compare notes and if they aren't just right, we got him!"
"How do we find that?" asked Humphrey.
Blondie lifted her phone, "A guy like Scout just can't stay off Fablebook. We just verify if he's telling the truth about his posts."
"That we can do," Dexter nodded, he pulled out his MirrorPad, "Okay, let's start researching!"
Ever After High - Stables
Gawain watched the video of Bow Knight defeating the Negazelle and then his brief confrontation with the Zenobiter. While the comments praised the knight's actions, Gawain only saw someone who fought for the sake of glory and the thrill of the hunt. He even left the fight for Scissors to finish because he'd gotten bored. Some people cried foul about that, but others seemed blinded by the heroic actions and made excuses for it. None of them were particularly good.
Not too long ago, Lance was the same when he first started out, but he had since grown up and taken his duties seriously. He realized that there were real people at risk from the monsters, not some kids' Saturday morning show where the monsters never hurt anyone.
This Bow Knight, on the other hand, seemed to not take the threat that the Mirror Monsters posed to innocent people seriously, just wishing to show off and be famous for it. He did save Cerise so he was at least skilled and Gawain was grateful for that. It didn't excuse treating it like a game with Scissors and just leaving because he wasn't being challenged.
His observations were cut off when none other than Scout Huntsman came clopping back into the stables with his horse. For once, the horse didn't look like it had been run ragged. That was a good sign, but it didn't make Gawain any happier to see the arrogant hunter in the stables again.
"Light duty today, stablehand," Scout yawned. "Not much exciting game."
"Lucky," Gawain muttered while putting his phone away.
Ever since Gawain had rescued Scout from that Wildboarder, the hunter seemed more determined to prove he was the better. At what, Gawain wasn't so sure. He was constantly hunting when he wasn't in school or in detention, trying to hone his skills so he could take on the next Mirror Monster he found. While an unarmored human could possibly beat around a Mirror Monster, react quickly enough to keep them from feeding, and even drive them off, the monsters were just too durable to overpower or outright destroy without an Advent Deck. Gawain just wondered if Scout was going to get himself killed or not before he realized how in over his head he was.
"Now, where is the lovely Rosabella? I was hoping to see if I could finally woo her into going on a date with me," Scout pondered.
"Busy. Somewhere else. She's taken. Remember?" Gawain frowned deeply.
"Yes, yes, you took her out on a date or two. Kudos to you at least," Scout waved him off. "I intend to sweep her off her feet with a meal at the Golden Goose rather than whatever little park stroll you usually take her out on."
Gawain just really wanted to punch Scout right then and there but he would not be provoked. Scout was just bragging and his words were empty. Try as he might, Scout could never win Rosabella's heart. He was not her type. She preferred the strong and silent, kind, animal-lover type. Scout just wanted to brag about another girl he dated and Rosabella would never fall for his lines. Not that it stopped the blowhard from trying, somehow thinking his luck with women was the same as Daring's. At least the eldest Charming had the compassion to go with his flirtations and treated each girl he dated as special.
"Good luck," Gawain snorted, taking the horse's reins.
"Oh I don't need luck," Scout grinned.
*Eeeeeeeeeeeee!*
Gawain flinched when he heard the shrill ringing but he did notice Scout somehow reacting to it. It could just be a coincidence and he stubbed his toe or something. Whatever. There was a Mirror Monster that needed to be taken care of. Taking out his Advent Deck, Gawain ran for the closest reflective mirror as Scout watched him.
His V-Buckle appeared and Gawain did a clawing motion before he slipped the deck inside.
"Henshin."
In a flourish of grayscale, his armor formed and filled, transforming him into the Beast Knight, Tiger.
Glancing at Scout out of the corner of his eye, Tiger attempted to cut off the approaching Mirror Monster by leaping through the glass into the Mirror World.
Stables - Mirror World
Tiger walked out of the stables in the Mirror World and looked around for the monster that had triggered the alarm. The area was calm, but it raised the hackles on Tiger's neck. Something in the air didn't seem right.
"Hnnn," Tiger frowned, lifting his Dest Visor in caution.
"TSEEEEER!"
Tiger spun around, lifting his weapon, but the monster came in too fast and swiped him with enough speed to spin him in the air before he landed in a heap. Tiger grunted, his vision swimming for a moment. Shaking his head, he got himself to his feet and looked to where it went. Looking up at the fences, he spotted Guldwind, the confirmed partner of the Bow Knight, crouched on one of the posts.
"Hnn," Tiger growled, getting up. He had been played.
"I can't believe you fell for that, stablehand," Bow Knight mocked as he showed himself, walking out of the stables from behind the Beast Knight. Tiger perked up, not only recognizing the voice but also the name which Bow Knight called him.
"Scout," Tiger identified. Only that jerk would call him that. "How?"
"How did I get this new equipment?" Bow Knight asked. "Well, I admit it was a gift. From whom, I do not know. I guess I have a Fairy Godmother watching over me. Just one more bit of proof that I am the superior Huntsman. I will not allow anyone to even think about being more skilled or talented than I."
Tiger sighed. Once again it was all about Scout's ego. He was still bitter over the simple fact that he had failed to even wound a Mirror Monster while Tiger had successfully killed it?
"Seriously?" Tiger groaned. "All ego?"
"Nothing is more important than ensuring we are the best to achieve our deserved destinies!" Bow Knight declared. He drew one of his cards and slipped it into his Bow VIsor.
[Shoot Vent!]
His Guld Bow appeared in his hands as he pointed it at Tiger.
"And I intend to stand above everyone who even thinks they have a chance at my destiny!"
Ever After High - Halls
Blondie nibbled on her bottom lip as she moved through the halls. She had spent her free time during the day digging into the three possible identities of the Bow Knight. After checking some details and what resources she had, Blondie was pretty sure she knew who he was.
Dexter and Humphrey looked over every inch of Scout's profile on any social media platform he was on. The guy was a member of plenty of sites, mostly hunting enthusiasts, Fablebook, some discussion boards about hunters, and the like. As expected, he liked to brag about the dangerous animals he took down recently or pictures of girls he supposedly dated. Really, it was just a lot of discussion boards to his ego.
Blondie wasn't sure if it was healthy. Everything Scout talked about was himself, how great a hunter he was, or the fairest girls he managed to date. Considering how he tried to usurp Hunter's destiny though, maybe he was trying to convince others he deserved to be the next Huntsman.
But it wasn't what Scout was saying online which was catching Blondie's attention. It was what he wasn't saying. Scout clearly liked to take any moment to turn attention to him and usually did with some declaration or comment. With Bow Knight's recent appearance and his own hunter image, people were wondering if he was a true huntsman or not, critiquing his technique, his choice of familiar, and other things. It was normal as everyone had a theory or speculation on the Bow Knight and his motivations.
Scout was strangely quiet on those subjects.
As someone who had been reporting, Blondie did learn a thing or two about interviewing and when people were trying to hide something. It was pretty basic knowledge that when someone took pains to not make their opinion known or keep their heads down, they had something to hide or they just didn't know. Considering Scout's flamboyant personality and his desire to speak up even if the conversations were about a subject he might not be informed about, him being silent about anything was unusual.
Seeing as the MirrorNet had given them their clues, Blondie and her boys had hit the street. They went to places they now knew Scout frequently visited. It was oddly easy to get guys at the hunting lodges to talk. Apparently, girls asking for Scout wasn't unusual. It seemed Scout was busy training, looking for bigger challenges, especially after the Beast Knight, Tiger, showed him up. He was there daily, reading exploits and tactics of other hunters or looking to see what game could be found.
It made him noticeably absent the night Cerise got rescued by the Bow Knight.
It was a pattern that Humphrey noticed when he checked school files about Scout. It seemed he had detention after supposedly misleading Headmaster Grimm to a fake True Hearts Day dance. Yesterday had been the last day of his detention, leaving him free to leave school on time. Time which he wasn't accounted for when Bow Knight reappeared.
When it came to Scout, all of the facts were lining up just right. No one knew where he was when the Bow Knight first appeared to save Cerise. Then he was supposedly off hunting again when the Bow Knight appeared a second time. The arrogance and casual disregard of others matched Scout's general attitude, although the princesses who were charmed by his looks and the boys who admired his skills tended not to see it themselves. Blondie was neither so she saw it easily.
Coming around a corner, she saw Kyle and Tristan talking by the lockers. She immediately approached them.
"Hey boys, could I talk to you about the Bow Knight?" she asked, catching their attention.
"We kind of gave a statement already, didn't we?" asked Kyle with a sigh. He had been asked by nearly everyone about the identity of the Bow Knight.
Blondie shook her head and answered, "No, I think I figured out who he is." Both boys were now paying much closer attention to her. "I looked into everything and everything we know about him fits just right with the Bow Knight being Scout Huntsman."
"Who?" asked Tristan.
"Hunter's cousin and the guy Gawain complains about whenever he comes back all cheesed off," Kyle answered. "Blondie, are you sure it's Scout?"
"From everything I found out, the facts fit just right," Blondie nodded.
Kyle now looked worried. He knew about Gawain's problem with Scout, but it seemed like Scout had a larger problem with Gawain. Namely, how Gawain showed him up against another Mirror Monster. The guy hadn't stopped trying to hunt more dangerous game since, or at least looking like he was training and honing his skills. If he suddenly was given the same abilities as a Rider, would he take the fight to Tiger directly?
*Eeeeeeeee!*
Kyle and Tristan winced, making Blondie gasp. Nearby, they started hearing shouts and cries, namely as one of the students ran inside shouting, "Hey, two of the knights are fighting!"
"Oh dang it," Tristan gasped as he and Kyle began running for the front doors.
Ever After High - Front Walk
Students gasped and cried out as Tiger suddenly flew out of one of Ever After High's windows, landing in a heap on the ground. He audibly grunted and began to stand before several arrows flew and sparked across his armor, eliciting another groan of pain as he was put onto his back again.
"Ugh," Tiger grunted, using his Visor to begin pushing himself up.
"Oh, no, stay down in the dirt, stablehand!" the voice of Bow Knight spoke before he jumped out of the glass, his bow drawn with another arrow. "It's where plebeian workers like you belong!"
Tiger growled and pushed himself up, gripping his axe and preparing to keep fighting. Bow Knight fired another arrow, but Tiger managed to deflect it before charging back at Bow Knight. The green Rider dipped back, avoiding the slash before swinging his bow at his enemy. Tiger ducked and lashed out with a kick, sweeping Bow Knight's feet out from under him. He landed with a heap as Tiger leaped back, drawing another card.
Bow Knight grunted, but managed to get his own card drawn.
[Advent!]
The two monsters emerged from separate reflections, crashing into each other with a roar and a shriek, tumbling to the ground as they clawed and swiped at each other.
"Guldwind! Don't play with the cat! Kill it and help me already!" Bow Knight shouted, actually angry that Tiger had pulled the same card he did. No one copied his moves!
"Good boy," Tiger huffed, lifting his axe. He drew a card and activated it with his Visor.
[Freeze Vent!]
Tiger lifted his axe, frost-like energy covering the blade before he threw it at Bow Knight. For all his skill at shooting arrows, Bow Knight wasn't used to being the one who was being shot at. He grunted and was struck by the cold wave, freezing him in place.
Tiger grunted and released his stance. He began strolling across the impromptu battlefield to remove Bow Knight's Advent Deck. Watching him approach, Bow Knight began to fight and rant in his own mind. Did this stablehand really think this would beat him? A cheap trick against a prime hunter? No! He refused! He would not allow it!
'Guldwind, do something, you stupid bird!' Bow Knight mentally roared.
Perhaps through the contract, Guldwind received the order. Letting off a shriek directly into Destwilder's ear, it managed to escape while the cat Mirror Monster clutched its head in pain. Swooping up, it shrieked and scanned the crowd. Spotting a bright and easy target, it swooped down at a girl in a yellow dress.
Tiger spun around when he heard the monster shriek and saw how it escaped Destwilder. Huffing, he prepared for it to attack him. To his horror, Guldwind didn't dive down at him. Instead, it began diving down at the growing crowd. Tiger's eyes widened in shock, but then horror when he saw Rosabella in the midst of it.
"ROSABELLA!" Tiger yelled, running to intercept the Guldwind. Many of the students began to scream and run as they realized the monster was diving at them. Some got in each other's way, slowing down their effectiveness. Rosabella herself gasped, realizing what was happening. Tiger acted fast and threw himself in the way, taking the full strike of Guldwind's talons to his back.
*CRASH!* "GYAAAAHHHHH!*
"GAWAIN!" Rosabella screamed in horror.
The damage was too great to take all at once and his armor failed while his Advent Deck was ejected from his V-Buckle. Gawain groaned as he was knocked down, his armor shattering off. Bow Knight was immediately released from the effect of the Freeze Vent. With Gawain's armor gone, he couldn't be expected to keep fighting. It was a clear win, but Bow Knight wanted more. He wanted his victory to be absolute.
"Time to teach you your place," Bow knight huffed as he gripped his bow, walking towards Gawain.
"Don't you dare!" Rosabella shouted, throwing herself between Bow Knight and the downed Gawain, her arms spread out to block Bow Knight's view of him. "Do you hear me? Don't you dare come near my prince!"
Bow Knight stopped, shocked, "W-what?! Are you kidding me?! You still choose him?! I just proved myself his superior in every way! I've proven to be the better hunter and hero!"
Bow Knight's mind was rocked. He had just accomplished something no one had done before. He had beaten one of the Knights of the Round Table! He proved himself mightier than a knight! He had been beating Mirror Monsters, and overcame the ones who always beat them! Couldn't anyone see that? He was mightier than the most famous knights in Ever After! How could anyone just turn their noses up at him after such a show of skill and cunning?
"All you've proven is that you're a bully and a coward!" Rosabella shouted back. "You were losing so you distracted him by having your monster dive at me! Now you just want to kick him when he's down? You're no hero!"
Bow Knight snarled. This, this, delusional little princess dared dismiss his heroic potential? Fine, then she was no princess in his eyes! Let her play with her little animals in the dirty stables! He had victory to claim!
Angrily, Bow Knight pushed Rosabella aside and aimed his bow at Gawain. Suddenly, he grunted as he was shot in the back and spun around to see Zolda with his Magna Visor leveled at him. Standing beside him was Ohja who narrowed his eyes at the new knight.
"So, this is the new guy who's encroaching on our turf," Ohja commented as he wielded his Veno Saber. "Tristan, go check on Gawain and then back me up."
Zolda nodded and jogged on over to Gawain as Ohja charged at Bow Knight. Bow Knight fired at Ohja who dodged and deflected his shots with his Veno Saber while closing the distance between them. Once in striking range, Ohja lunged and slashed Bow Knight across the chest. Bow Knight backpedaled from the strike and was sent staggering again by several vicious slashes delivered by Ohja.
"Gah! Why you-!" Bow Knight began, but he was slugged across the face, making him stumble.
"Not quite used to fighting mano-a-mano, hm?" Ohja commented, flexing his fingers. "Fits for a hunter. Always fighting from a distance before coming in for the kill. You must have pulled some nasty tricks to somehow keep out of Tiger's claws."
"Guh! A hunter is allowed to use any tactic to bring down their prey!" Bow Knight retorted, firing more arrows at Ohja.
The Snake Knight rolled out of the way. Coming to a crouch, he dropped his sword for his Veno Visor and drew a card from his deck.
"Then you won't mind me using any tactics to beat you, right?" Ohja asked as he put the card inside his Veno Visor.
[Steal Vent!]
Bow Knight pulled back for another shot, but his Guld Bow suddenly disappeared. He blinked, but then grunted as he was pelted with his own arrows. Across from him, Ohja gripped the Guld Bow, firing arrow after arrow at him.
"My weapon! You dare, you cur?!" Bow Knight growled, shooting smaller and weaker bolts from his Bow Visor to force Ohja to back away. He spun around to get some distance…
[Strike Vent!]
He was struck across the chest by Zolda, who was wielding a metal gauntlet with two large golden horns coming from the sides of the fist.
"Oh no, you don't get to run. Not after what you've been doing," Zolda huffed.
"C-Cowards! You both forsake honor and gang up on me?" Bow Knight panted.
"Oh, you're very mistaken," Ohja retorted, approaching with the Guld Bow over his shoulder. "We're a fellowship. The Knights of the Round Table, my friend. If you challenged Tiger fairly we'd let you duke it out. But it seems like you didn't. Attacking innocents to get a hit in and then aiming to hit him when he's down? Not very chivalrous to me."
"That means any privilege of knightly honor you may have had is forfeit," Zolda added. "After that, well, you come after one of us, you come after all of us, and we all fight back."
Bow Knight growled. He was cornered and the Riders weren't going to play fair with him. His cheap tricks and desire for absolute victory had come back to bite him. A smarter person may have tried to flee, but Bow Knight's monumental pride wouldn't allow it. He was going to win or...that was it. He was going to win. He was the hero, the most deserving of the Huntsman destiny, and the heroes always won!
"So be it! I will bring you both down!" Bow Knight yelled, drawing his Final Vent card and activating it.
[Final Vent!]
"What?!" Zolda gasped.
"Are you nuts?! We're surrounded by people!" Ohja shouted.
"They don't matter! Only the hero does!" Bow Knight shouted. Guldwind swooped down into the fray once again and Bow Knight jumped onto his back. The students started to scream and try to find cover. They all knew how destructive a Final Vent attack was. Many recalled the sight of Zolda's Final Vent and they feared Bow Knight's could be just as bad.
"GABE! NOW!" Ohja shouted loudly.
[Confine Vent!]
Guldwind suddenly vanished underneath him and Bow Knight fell to the ground with a surprised grunt.
"Huh!?" Bow Knight struggled on the ground. "Wh-where did he go?!"
"You didn't think it was just me and Ohja, did you?" asked Zolda. "When you were attacking one of our friends out front like this?"
Bow Knight suddenly stiffened in realization, "Oh no..."
[Final Vent!]
"LEEEROOOOOY JENKIIIIIINS!" Gai roared as Metalgelas rushed at Bow Knight while carrying him like a spear with his Metal Horn aimed forward. Bow Knight screamed, unable to move in time before the pair collided with him, causing an explosion.
"GAAAAHH!" Bow Knight screamed, thrown several feet away before he landed in a heap on the grass. He rolled to a stop, groaning in pain, seeming unable to move. His armor smoked, clearly taking a beating from the attack alone. The light of his V-Buckle blinked before the Advent Deck was ejected. The armor shattered in dark green shards, revealing Scout Huntsman underneath, groaning in pain.
"No...I'm...hero….never...lose," Scout grunted, desperately grabbing for his Advent Deck.
"You're no hero."
Scout looked up and saw all fourteen Knights of the Round Table coming through the crowd to stare down at him. Even Gawain was there, being supported by a teary-eyed Rosabella who was glaring at the defeated Scout.
"We're confiscating this," Ryuki frowned, picking up the Bow Knight Deck. "And then we'll see what Headmaster Grimm has to say about you."
"You can't do that! It's mine! I was chosen!" Scout snapped angrily, struggling to get up.
"With how arrogant and dangerous you are? That would be a stupid move," Knight scoffed. "You're a danger to yourself and everyone around you. You'd just keep making us look bad if we didn't step up and stop you."
"Consider your knighthood revoked," Odin scowled.
Ever After High - Headmaster's Office
Milton Grimm's hands were tied. While he would've just given Scout a slap on the wrist as many of his acts before were deemed heroic, like accidentally destroying that carriage, there were too many witnesses to his fight with Gawain. By attacking one of the knights who was acknowledged and awarded by Queen Snow White herself, Scout was looking at severe punishment. Beauty and the Beast could push him to expel Scout since his monster had tried to attack their daughter.
Even if he tried to downplay it, he couldn't. Teenagers were one thing, but recorded footage was another. Milton silently cursed MirrorPhones as many people began recording the battle as soon as Tiger and Bow Knight appeared at the school. They had him on video, targeting students to distract Tiger, physically throwing Rosabella aside, and then risking numerous students by attempting to use his Final Vent attack.
Gabriel Lighthart wasn't being punished for doing the same since A: his Final Vent targeted only one target where Bow Knight's could potentially hit more. B: Gai's Final Vent was not nearly as destructive as some as the others. And C: the crowd had been backing up to avoid Bow Knight's by then, giving him plenty of space.
So with some reluctance, since Scout would have been a fine Huntsman in potentially many other stories, Milton had to expel him. To do any less would risk the ire of Snow White along with Beauty and the Beast. The headmaster was on thin ice already for how he handled the Shereghost Attack. He couldn't risk himself any further. So for the greater good, a potential hero for the stories had to be let go.
"I had high hopes for you Scout, like all my students," Milton sighed as he completed the paperwork. "But it seems we all receive disappointment."
Book End Library
Bow Knight's reputation had officially been sunk by the time Ever After High was empty. Gawain had to be taken to the Nurse's office. Some of the others had remained to make sure no one else tried anything funny. Gawain was already hurt and Rosabella was ready to get hysterical if someone tried to stop her from getting him some help.
After the dust died down, Arthur made his way straight to the library where Merlin was still in his office. He was glad to see they managed to get the Bow Knight deck. The wizard immediately took it away and began to study it. After everyone but Gawain came back, Merlin emerged once again and called a team meeting where he presented the Bow Knight deck to everyone.
"So, what have you got?" Arthur asked as Merlin slid the deck down the table for everyone to see.
"It's exactly like the ones I gave you, a perfect copy," Merlin said seriously. "It's just as I feared."
"What do you mean?"
"The Mirror Monster attacks from before. They may have targeted princesses but perhaps you were the mastermind's true target," Merlin theorized. "They sent the monsters to not just test you but also study you, your decks, your weapons."
"Which means someone is controlling the monsters?" Rex paled slightly.
"I wouldn't say outright controlling them," Merlin shook his head. "I know the signs and I had to use magic just to calm down your fourteen pets long enough to catch them and bind them to the decks. No, the monsters don't take foreign power well nor for very long. It's more like they were pointed in your general direction and the one pointing them was forced to hope for the best."
"But, hey, if we keep beating these guys, we can just take their decks and increase our ranks, right?" Gabe asked with a grimace.
"And who would we give them to?" asked Max. "Most fairy tales aren't used to the kind of fighting we have to do. And what's stopping whoever made the Bow Knight deck from churning out more to make a force to match or exceed us? What if they upgrade them to be stronger than us?"
"Scary thought," Ben sighed. "So we have no idea where it came from or any clues to help us find out?"
"Scout didn't seem to know where it came from either, according to Gawain," Kevin shook his head. "He claims he was chosen, like it was some kind of divine right."
"How's Gawain doing anyway?" Gwen asked.
"Receiving some TLC from his princess," Lance answered with a small grin.
Ever After High - Nurse's Room
Gawain had been taken to the nurse's office for treatment. Fortunately, his armor had proven durable since the most he had to deal with was serious bruising, perhaps a cracked rib or two, and a headache. All he needed was to take some potions to recover quickly. Other than that, he was just fine. Baba Yaga insisted on keeping him for observation until her potions took effect and his bruises faded. Gawain didn't mind though.
Rosabella insisted on staying to keep him company.
"Does it still hurt?" Rosabella asked as she peeled an apple for him, cut it to pieces, and fed them to him.
"You're here," Gawain answered. "Feel better."
Rosabella blushed prettily. Today was certainly frightening. She hadn't seen Gawain fight up close like that since she first discovered he was the Beast Knight. It was worse since she saw him get hurt so badly both from the Bow Kight's deplorable tactics, but also from the strike he took to protect her and the other students from his monster. He threw himself into harm's way to protect them from harm like any true knight would. Likely it was going to make him more popular than before.
Today had Rosabella more convinced than ever that Gawain was truly her prince, her 'Beast' so to speak. He didn't hesitate to throw himself into harm's way to protect her. Like how her father protected her mother from wolves, Gawain protected her from that monster. It made Rosabella's heart beat rapidly as she recalled it, and knowing she had found the one meant for her. It made her all the more delighted to have her relationship with him...and maybe take it a little further once Gawain got better.
Her thoughts of more romance were interrupted when Hunter entered the room, looking absolutely mortified and pale.
"Oh, Hunter?" Rosabelle saw him come in.
"H-hey," Hunter greeted weakly. "Gawain, are you okay?"
"Little sore," Gawain admitted. "Better soon."
"That's good. Listen, Gawain. I'm sorry about Scout and what he did." Hunter bowed his head. He felt honestly ashamed for his own cousin going off the rails like he did. A Huntsman was supposed to live by a code and Scout obviously disregarded it in favor of his ego and pride. Yeah, he caused trouble but nothing like...like that brawl that happened in front of everyone at school.
Gawain shook his head, not blaming Hunter in the least, "Not your fault."
"What's going to happen to him?" Rosabelle asked. She hoped the headmaster would take appropriate steps instead of trying to ignore the problem like he did with the Shereghost Attack. If not, she would be swift to alert her parents. Scout was clearly dangerous and had little regard for others if his attempt to use his Final Vent in a crowd of students wasn't enough of a clue.
"Oh, Headmaster Grimm expelled him," Hunter answered, making the knight and princess heave a breath of relief. "His parents are not happy and are thinking of sending him to reform school. They're the only ones who will want to take him now." Schools for fairy tales expected a level of behavior from their students in regards to their stories, but if they took it too far, those schools would ship them off in a heartbeat to avoid trouble.
"Deserves dungeon," Gawain growled angrily. "Try to hurt Rosabella."
"Shhh, Gawain," Rosabella stroked his head. "It's okay now. I'm not hurt and Scout's taken care of."
"Hate seeing you hurt," Gawain confessed. "Love you."
Rosabella's face turned rosy red, but her smile was like a beacon, "I love you too, my Beast Knight."
Hunter chuckled, "And that's my cue to leave. Congratulations, you two, for what it's worth."
"Thanks," Gawain nodded as Hunter turned to leave. Once he was gone, Rosabella immediately moved over to Gawain and began kissing him. Gently, as to not aggravate his wounds, but not restraining any of the passion she was feeling.
Baba Yaga smiled as she sat at her desk, "Ah, young love. So beautiful. I wish I was younger."
Oh, Gawain said it! He confessed his feelings to Rosabella! And Rosabella feels the same way!
Calm down, Brooke. I know it's beautiful, but there are still more stories to tell.
And it seems more characters to add as well, if Scout was any indication.
And when they give that new deck to-!
Brooke! Spoilers!
A/N: And now we see an original Rider appear. A bad omen considering someone was able to create an Advent Deck. How they got the designs and the resources to do such, no one knows yet. Worse, they came with a new breed of Mirror Monser. Scout's arrogance brought him down, but likely whoever gave him the deck has more in stock for more competent warriors.