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 17: The Carnival

The land of Ever After has always been a place filled with life, magic and music, but today it has become even more lively.

Great tents have been set, animals perform for the people, and people perform for animals. Balloons color the sky and the sweet scent of candy fills the air.

We're going to the carnival!

Book End - Carnival Grounds

Excitement was in the air as people traveled outside of Book End, heading to a large open spot next to the Enchanted Forest. Rather than an empty space, numerous tents, stalls, and signs were set up with colorful pictures of clowns and circus acts. Everyone was heading there, including the Knights of the Round Table and their girlfriends who saw it as the perfect place to spend the day together.

"The carnival, the carnival, we're going to the carnival!" Gabe sang as he skipped along. "Yay!"

"Doesn't he usually want to be the mature one?" Poppy asked her twin sister as they walked to the carnival together.

"He does, but I don't care either way. He's still adorable," Holly giggled.

"Can't believe Merlin set this up and didn't tell us," Tristan remarked.

"Maybe he wanted it to be a surprise," Poppy suggested.

That weekend, Book End was playing host to a large carnival. It was a complete experience with show tents, rides, games, and of course the copious amount of junk food that was available for everyone. Merlin made the announcement that he had the event planned for a while now. After the stressful mess with Scout Huntsman and his Bow Knight deck, he all but ordered the knights to pick up their girlfriends and go enjoy a day of fun and general merriment.

"Merlin even got the new generation of the Musicians of Bremen to play at the carnival," Tristan added.

"Oh, I love the 'BreMen'!" Holly clapped.

"Carnival!" Gabe cheered as the entrance to said carnival came into view. "What ride should we go on first? The fairest wheel? The bumper carriages? The chair swing? Hey, how about we play some games? Maybe grab some snacks? Let's get funnel cake!"

"Geez, Gabe. We haven't even gotten you anything and you're already acting like you're on a sugar high," Tristan chuckled.

"How can you not be excited by all this?" Gabe asked. "Carnivals are where all sorts of awesome rides and games can be found back home. Imagine what they're like here with fairy tales! Magic, Tristan! They use actual magic!"

Holly giggled as she took a snapshot of Gabe acting so adorable right now. He was just so whimsical when he was like this and she enjoyed seeing him so happy and excited like a child on their birthday.

The couples had arrived at different times, wishing to either go as a group such as the O'Hair sisters or go by themselves to make it feel like a couple's day. Kyle and Duchess were one such pair as they made their way to the carnival. If asked, Kyle and Duchess would both claim they didn't want to go alone and they decided they may as well go together since they had no one else lined up. Their friends would just roll their eyes and mention something about denial.

As they explored the carnival around together, Duchess immediately spotted a stuffed goose hanging as one of the prizes at a ring toss game. Kyle saw how it caught her eye and he threw down some gold coins to play for it. After two rounds, one to get used to the game or so Kyle would claim, he scored a high amount of points to win the goose for her.

"Good arm kid," the vendor praised, passing the toy to Kyle.

"Thanks," Kyle nodded. He then promptly passed the sizable bird to Duchess, "Here you go, Duchess,"

"Just what I always wanted," Duchess deadpanned. That didn't stop her from taking the toy and clearly squeezing it tightly.

Kyle grinned and was about to tease her when some chuckles cut him off. Both looked to the source and spotted Darren and Lizzie walking up to the stand behind them, waiting for their turn. Both were dressed oddly formally for the event, Lizzie in her dress and Darren looking like a harlequin.

"You know, you two should just admit it to each other and just make out already," Darren laughed as he and Lizzie watched the pair. It was good luck that they saw the reluctant couple since Lizzie saw a heart-shaped doll she promptly fell in love with.

"No one asked you, you clown!" Duchess snapped, blushing brightly.

"Not a clown! A jester! The court jester of the Princess of Hearts!" Darren proclaimed proudly. "There is a very important difference between a clown and a jester."

"It says to me that Lizzie has you whipped something fierce," Kyle snorted.

"Bah! You do not understand the importance!" Lizzie huffed. Despite it being a simple carnival, her dress was fit more for a formal garden party. "Carnivals are wonderlandiful places with topsy turvy fun and madness around every corner. You simply must dress for the occasion! Otherwise, off with your heads!"

Duchess rolled her eyes. Lizzie Hearts was so dramatic. She might be destined to become the next Queen of Hearts but it was a destiny that Duchess had no interest in stealing for her own. Besides, she had her own destiny to worry about and she wanted to change it. Thanks to Kyle, she now knew that it was possible and she was going to fight for it.

Darren shrugged and got his turn at the stand. Lizzie cheered him on, showing her teenage girl side rather than the Princess of Hearts side. Kyle just watched as he knew that Darren couldn't use his usual antics to try and win. Duchess likewise thought the same and was prepared to watch Darren fail and have Lizzie chew him out or try again until he went broke.

"Hup!" Darren began tossing rings like he was Batman with his batarangs instead of a two-bit Joker. Ring after ring flew before they all settled on the sticks which were the hardest to reach. Kyle and Duchess both gaped as Darren breezed through the game. They finally snapped out of it when Lizzie got her heart plush with a squeal of girlish joy.

"How?!" they both cried out.

"Have you seen me use my Bio Winder? It's all in the wrist!" Darren grinned proudly. "Lizzie, let's try out one of the rides next."

"Oh, yes!" Lizzie giggled, cuddling her large toy.

As the couple walked away, Duchess gave a pout and looked to Kyle, "Well? Win me something else too. Don't let the fool show you up!"

Sitting on top of one of the stands, watching the events below was Kitty Cheshire, grinning as she watched with cotton candy in hand. The best thing about the show was that she didn't even have to do anything for it to happen. Whenever Darren got involved, another bit of craziness was always guaranteed. With a smile, she vanished to follow after the jester knight and his princess. The best shows really were free.

(-)

There were many events and special games going on during the carnival. Some only happened at certain times of the day and people wanted to see or take part. Under one tent was a pie-eating contest sponsored by one of the bakeries in Book End. Surprisingly to most, save for those who knew him, Rex had signed up for the contest. He claimed it was under duress, only having signed up because he was accused of not being fun by his comrades.

He'd show them!

Somehow, a familiar blonde in blue was selected to be the MC for the event, likely because Merlin was a fan of her MirrorCast, "This is Blondie Lockes, reporting live from the pie-eating contest here at the carnival. Let's meet our contestants. First, we have all the Three Little Pigs!"

The Three Little Pigs waved. The eldest wore classy clothes, the middle brother wore street clothes, and the youngest was more casual with some paint splattered on his shirt and a loose tie. The three were always together and worked together to navigate the school made for humans. It was rare that any of them were alone, so they signed up as a group for the contest. Of course, they would be competing against each other, and everyone was expecting a mess.

Blondie then moved on to the next contestant, "And our other contestant is none other than one of our Knights of the Round Table, the Phoenix Knight Odin, Sir Rex Shephard."

"I am honored to be here," Rex greeted, waving to the camera.

Ginger and Rob were in the crowd, cheering for him.

"Woohoo!" Rob waved from the stands.

"Go, Rex!" Ginger raised a sign, showing support for her boyfriend.

"And now, let's take a look at that pie," Blondie said as the pie in question was presented by the baker. "Yummy pumpkin pie. Just right!" Dozens of pies were placed in front of each competitor with Rex studying the pies warily. "Alright, eaters! Ready, steady, eat!"

The Three Little Pigs quickly started consuming their pies. Meanwhile, Rex had not yet even begun. He picked up a piece, inspected it, and sniffed it. He had never had pumpkin pie before so he wasn't sure if he'd like it or was willing to eat it.

"C'mon, Rex! Eat it! You're falling behind!" Rob yelled.

"Just taste it!" Ginger encouraged.

Rex reluctantly took a bite and all of a sudden he realized that he liked it. He was worried the pie filling would be too mushy for his palette, but it really was just right. The pumpkin spice made the entire pie taste delicious. Simply liking the pie was too simple in words. No, he loved it! Immediately he began devouring the pies at the same rate as the pigs. He may have started late but he consumed pies quickly, eventually catching up to the Three Little Pigs.

The eldest pig finished one last piece before his face suddenly turned green.

"Oh, I ate too much!" He quickly fled to find a bathroom and was promptly disqualified.

The middle pig was the next to become disqualified as he passed out with his face falling into his pie. Now only Rex and the youngest pig were left and they were neck and neck. However, even the youngest reached his limit and had to forfeit.

"With all Three Little Pigs disqualified from the competition, Rex Shephard wins!" Blondie declared but Rex was not stopping as he continued to eat like an animal, even finishing up the pigs' leftover pies. "Um, Rex?"

Rob panicked, realizing that Rex's sweet tooth had gotten the better of him and quickly went to stop him.

"Rex, stop!" Rob restrained Rex's arms as he struggled. "It's over!" However, the Phoenix Knight managed to break free and started to search for more pies.

"Well, that about wraps up the pie-eating contest," Blondie said as she held the last pie which Rex quickly noticed. "This is Blondie Lockes signing off and I hope you enjoyed the-" Rex lunged at her and Blondie screamed.

(-)

Once Rex ate the last pie, he calmed down enough that Rob was able to pull him away. Ginger was quick to act, cramming one of her pastries into Rex's mouth. Rob didn't know how that was supposed to help, but Ginger said the pastry was supposed to counteract the deliciousness of the pumpkin pies. Despite his skepticism, the pastry seemed to work and Rex calmed down. He then turned beet red once he realized how wild he had gotten and promptly fled the area. Ginger took his prize for him before she followed.

That allowed Rob to meet up with Nina again as they headed to enjoy the rest of the carnival

"That was unexpected," Nina said as she rode on Rob's shoulder in her shrunken form.

"Yeah, never seen Rex lose it like that," Rob agreed, although he couldn't help but snigger at the memory. "He's always been so calm and collected. Guess his sweet tooth can make him go nuts."

"I know, he's always acting like a prince and...Look! A fairy-go-round!" Nina pointed out, suddenly distracted by the familiar spinning ride.

The couple promptly forgot about Rex's little rampage and moved to the attraction. This was what made them such good friends with others. They didn't hold much of a grudge against anyone, preferring to get along with everyone. It was one of the things which made them gravitate towards each other as a couple.

(-)

After the impromptu exit from the pie-eating contest, Rex and Ginger sat together in a fairest wheel car, the former looking mortified. Ginger was naturally there, rubbing his shoulder to try and help him feel better from his surprising slip.

"I can't believe I lost control like that," Rex groaned into his hands.

"It's not that bad," Ginger said reassuringly, rubbing his shoulder. "And besides, you won a coupon book for that bakery."

Rex didn't seem to realize the prize he got and just continued to slump, "I attacked Blondie Lockes because of a pie, Ginger. A pie."

"I wouldn't say you attacked her," Ginger offered diplomatically, finding that scene more funny than shocking, "I mean, you lunged at her, but you were after the pie and didn't even touch her. She didn't get hurt. You just spooked her."

Rex sighed and leaned back in his seat, "Still, I should apologize the next time I see her. Oh, this is 3rd grade all over again."

Ginger blinked, Rex didn't talk too much about his past. Not that he was ashamed of it, but he just seemed to find Ever After so much more interesting, "3rd grade? What happened?"

"Ginger, believe it or not, when I was a child I used to be a bit overweight," Rex told her, flushing slightly at the embarrassing memory. "Alright, I was a chubby child." He paused before he broke down. "Fine, I was fat! I was FAT!"

"Really?" Ginger could never picture Rex ever being fat. He had a rigorous workout program to keep himself fit and in shape. When he snacked a little too much on her treats, he would work even harder to burn off those calories.

Rex rubbed his head, finding it a little hard to talk, "I had a problem controlling myself around sweets when I was younger. Any snack cake, sugary treat, or chocolate, I'd eat as soon as I got my hands on it. I gained weight, but no one thought it was weird. Just a nine-year-old kid who liked his sweets. My parents realized it was becoming a problem when I...I bit another child because they took my cupcake at a birthday party." He was ashamed of that.

Ginger's eyes widened, "Oh, my."

"After that, they put me on a diet and made me exercise. It helped me realize I did have a problem and my parents helped me beat it. I learned discipline and that is how I became what I see before you. And it just happened again. I lost control." Rex just slumped, clearly depressed at his outburst.

When Rex began losing weight and he managed to become fit and started being considered handsome, he felt really proud of himself for managing to do it. With that exercise routine set up with his new pride and confidence, Rex worked hard to stay at that level to keep in shape. Even when he was allowed to have sweets again, Rex made sure to maintain his discipline and continued his exercise regiment. For his resolve to break as he got physical in trying to get more pie, it felt like he just took a big step back in his discipline and training again.

"Oh, Rex," Ginger hugged him. "It's okay. You had a bit of a slip-up, but things are fine. Just remember your limits and we can avoid another issue like this."

"I hope," Rex nodded.

(-)

Rosabella and Gawain went to the carnival too, of course. Rather than the games or the rides, the couple ended up visiting the petting zoo, giving their attention to the various goats, sheep, and other small and fluffy animals that were on display. The animals loved the attention and soon the couple found themselves surrounded by the creatures, all of them hoping for some attention.

Gawain sat on the ground, letting the lambs and goats curl up around him, becoming sleepy in his presence as they enjoyed his company. Gawain just smiled, feeling at peace despite the exciting nature of the carnival. Rosabella, on the other hand, seemed to get the energetic animals who vied for her attention as well as for the treats and snacks she bought to get their attention. She didn't complain though, enjoying every second of their attention. However, it wasn't the only attention they got.

"See? Gentle gentle," Rosabella smiled as she helped a little girl pet a small lamb. The girl giggled, petting the lamb's fluffy wool.

"Look at me! Look at me!" a small boy cheered as Gawain watched him with one of the goats.

Various toddlers and small children were brought into the mix as they wanted to pet the animals too. Somehow, Rosabella turned it into a lesson on how to be nice to animals and show them how much they cared. The children ate it up, carefully petting the animals and not poking them to the point of annoyance like some children would do with animals they never saw before.

Some of the parents mistook the pair as volunteers helping to keep the animals in line and thanked them for the lesson for their children. Rosabella didn't mind since it gave her the chance to show children how to properly care for animals. Gawain just took it in stride, helping the kids and the animals keep from getting too rowdy.

(-)

Although plenty of the carnival games were parallel to ones the Knights were familiar with, some of the games were unique to Ever After. There was a game called 'Pull the Sword out of the Stone'. The point of the game was that people could try to pull a sword out of a hunk of rock. The trick was there was a certain way to do it and it was hard to figure out.

Daring confidently ran a hand through his blond hair and grasped the sword's handle with his strong princely hands. He got into a stance and pulled with all his might. He put more force into it as he attempted to tug it out of its strong sheath. However, it was stubborn and would not budge. There was also a time limit as the barker who ran the game had Daring on a timer. Once five minutes passed, the timer went off.

Daring Charming had failed.

"Oh, sorry, kid. Guess you're not worthy!" Hearing such humiliating, heartbreaking words, Daring left dejected. However, he would not be down for very long. There were plenty of pretty damsels for him to flirt with and that always raised his spirits. "Hey, who wants to go next? Prove your worth and draw the sword out from the stone!"

"I'll do it," Darling raised her hand.

The barker grinned teasingly at Darling's declaration, "Oh, you sure you want to try, princess? You might break a nail."

Darling's eyes narrowed at the challenge. Although she wished to keep her martial ability a secret, there were just some challenges that a Charming could not ignore.

"Gwen, hold my cotton candy," Darling said as she handed her cotton candy to Gwen and marched up to the sword in the stone.

Gwen grinned. This was going to be good.

(-)

Max naturally went to the carnival with Ramona. Surprisingly, despite her attitude as a punk girl, she was as giddy as a kid as she darted between stalls, wanting to play games, go on rides, or taste the different treats. Max was just glad he had won a windfall from his betting rings lately. With luck, he'd have just enough to cover Ramona's mad dash for her candied apples, pretzels, her game binging, and everything in between.

Ramona had gotten an armful of her favorite treats and was munching on some pretzels with a happy rumble while Max enjoyed a simple sod.,

"So, no rides for a while," Max observed.

"I guess. Plenty of games to play though," Ramona grinned. "Don't worry though. I'll pay this time."

"Well, if you insist," Max smiled, although he was sighing in relief on the inside. He did not want to burn a hole in his wallet too soon.

Their travels through the carnival grounds had them try multiple games. They won as much as they lost, earning some stuffed toys and cheap prizes. Fortunately, Ramona had planned ahead and brought a backpack. Apparently she was a fan of plushies, specifically stuffed dogs or wolves.

They eventually passed a small stand where a barker was bringing attention to a charity contest. "That's right folks, it's just that simple! For a kind donation, you can guess the number of magic beans in this jar and win a prize!"

It wasn't actual magic beans in the jar since just letting one fall to the ground risked a beanstalk to grow. It was just jelly beans, but like many of Ever After's treats, the jelly beans were to die for. Of course, to Max, it was a challenge to his intellectual skills. He had tried the game when he was younger but failed dismally. Refusing to give up, he always made a guess when he found such games. His eyes landed on the jar and narrowed as he glared at it, mentally measuring its dimensions and the dimensions of each bean. Ramona blinked at her boyfriend's laser precision.

She followed his gaze to the jar and had to blink a second time, "Wait, you can't seriously think you can figure it out? No one wins these."

"Watch me. Now shush. I'm calculating," Max retorted in deep concentration.

"Your loss," Ramona shook her head, deciding to chew on another carnival treat while she waited for Max to finish or give up.

(-)

"Better luck next time, kid!" a man sitting in a dunk tank taunted Hopper. So far, nobody had managed to hit the target and drop him in the water as he was still dry. "Who's next?"

"I'll give it a shot," Tristan announced, stepping up and getting a baseball after paying the attendant. "Hope you like swimming, pal!"

"Oh yeah!" the man laughed. "Well, give it your best shot kid!"

"Here you go!" Tristan pulled his arm back and took careful aim. After numerous hours of training with his guns, getting the target for a baseball was easy in comparison. He threw the baseball, not worrying about the force, just accuracy.

*THUNK!*

*SPLASH!*

"We have a winner! Take a prize young man!"

"Woo!" Poppy cheered among others in the crowd.

(-)

As Ashlynn and Hunter no longer needed to hide their relationship, they came to the carnival together without disguises. Nobody gave them a second glance as they were just another couple among many. It felt liberating for the both of them and they could just enjoy being together without worrying about people finding out about them.

Hunter was quick to want to try and win a prize for Ashlynn. He quickly found a stall where the players had to pull a string and they would get a random prize. Not everything got a prize though, so it really was a game of chance.

Hunter paid and got one string, ending up winning a small velvet teddy bear. He was a little disappointed, wanting to win her something big. Ashlynn just smiled and kissed him on the cheek, cuddling the little bear tightly. The small toy came from her beloved boyfriend, and that made it special enough.

(-)

*THUNK!*

The ball bounced off the pyramid of milk bottles.

"Sorry, kid," the man running the game said with a faux-apologetic tone. "Guess you're out of luck."

"OK, now I know this game is rigged!" Kevin angrily accused, pointing at the bottles. "My ball hit those bottles! I'm calling shenanigans!"

He didn't notice Faybelle behind him casting a spell to make the bottle stick. She may have fallen for him, but she loved to tease him and get him riled up. Once he got really riled up, she'd let him win and then get that passionate make-out session to top off her day.

(-)

Apple's eyes sparkled beautifully as she toured the carnival grounds with Lance. There were so many different rides and games all around her. She didn't know what to try first since she was spoiled for choice. Apple finally found a ride that immediately drew her attention.

"Let's try that one!" Apple pointed to a spooky castle.

"The Haunted Castle?" Lance asked, his tone a bit nervous.

Apple nodded, "I've always wanted to go in one but never had the nerve. Now, I have a fearless knight to protect me."

"Yeah, fearless," Lance repeated with a gulp. Very little scared Lance but he hated Haunted Houses. However, he still tried to put on a brave face. Unlike the threat of the Mirror World, the ghosts, ghouls, and monsters in the Haunted Castle would be fake. However, as this world had magic, there was no telling how scary a Haunted Castle would be.

"C'mon, Lancie!" Apple dragged him along and he was powerless to refuse.

She didn't hear his whimper of fear as they passed through the entrance.

(-)

"Test your strength and win a prize!" a barker called out to the crowd as he stood beside a strongman game with a mallet. "Hey, you there. Big guy. How about you try?"

He spotted Ben and Meeshell as they were just walking by.

"What do you think, Ben? Would you like to give it a try?" Meeshell asked.

Ben shook his head. He was not interested in showing off his strength. However, he would try to win Meeshell a prize at a different game.

"I'll try!" Gabe marched up to the barker, looking eager.

"You sure, kid?" the man asked. "I think this might be too much for you."

"Just shut up and take my money!" Gabe snapped and the barker, startled, handed him the mallet. Gabe went up to the strongman game, gripping the mallet tightly.

Gabe raised the mallet, almost losing his balance but he steadied his feet. He then brought it down on the strongman game's base with all his might. The barker running the game looked amused, as the weight only went a quarter of the way up to the bell before dropping back down.

"Tough luck, kid," the man said sympathetically but he still wanted to move things along.

"Wait, gimme one more chance!"

The barker chuckled slightly, "Kid, I'd feel bad for taking your money."

"No, one more shot please," Gabe insisted. He turned to his girlfriend, "Holly, could I borrow your compact, please?" He asked sweetly as he took out his Advent Deck. His girlfriend nodded, figuring out what he needed it for and opened the mirror to him. He held his Advent Deck to it and summoned his V-Buckle. "Henshin!"

Gabe transformed into Kamen Rider Gai, much to the barker's shock. He hadn't even realized that Gabe was one of the heroic Knights of the Round Table. He was just so small.

"Now, mind giving me another chance?" Gai asked and the barker speechlessly nodded. Kamen Rider Gai picked the mallet up, raised it over the head, and brought it down on the base. The weight shot up and hit the bell, causing it to ring. Holly gave a cheer as her boyfriend won her a prize.

"Would that count as cheating?" Ben asked Meeshell who giggled with a shrug.

(-)

"It's our turn!" Cupid said as she dragged Dexter onto the swan-shaped boat. The two had been lining up for the Tunnel of Love and it was finally their turn. Dexter settled himself beside Cupid as she hugged his arm as the boat went down the stream and into the tunnel.

The inside of the tunnel was bathed in a soft pink mood lighting and filled with soft, romantic music. The tunnel was also lined with romantic images. Dexter put his arm around Cupid and held her close.

"Cupid, I wanted to say this for a while, but you're really special to me," Dexter confessed. It was too early for him to say he loved her, even though he felt that he did. He was afraid he might scare her off. Of course, Cupid did not feel the need to keep her feelings bottled up, not since they became a couple.

"I love you, Dexter."

"Huh? Did you say something?"

Smiling, Cupid turned her head to look at him with her eyes closed and lips puckered. That was definitely his cue and he kissed her softly on the lips but then Cupid pushed onto the seat and pinned him down while deepening the kiss.

The swan-shaped boat exited the Tunnel of Love to reveal Cupid and Dexter sitting in it. The boy's glasses were crooked, and he wore a goofy smile as his face was covered in pink kiss marks. Cupid was merely fixing her lipstick, attempting to look innocent although the affectionate mischief in her eyes was clear. It would seem that Cupid had taken advantage of the privacy provided by the tunnel to shower Dexter with affection.

(-)

Arthur and Raven walked hand in hand down carnival row, seeing various performances along the way. Dancers were dancing, musicians were playing music, and jugglers were juggling. In the midst of it, four animals, a rooster, a cat, a dog, and a donkey, were playing music and earning the praise of the crowd.

"I have to admit, Merlin knows how to throw a carnival," Arthur grinned at the sight of it all.

"Mm-hmm," Raven nodded, popping some cotton candy into her mouth.

The pair were happy for the day off. Raven noticed that Arthur was stressed about how Scout Huntsman managed to get his hands on an Advent Deck. There were no leads as to how he got it, not even from Scout since even he didn't know where it came from. It was a dead-end, but the fact that someone managed to make an Advent Deck was enough of a reason to worry.

The carnival was just what the doctor ordered, letting Arthur and his fellow knights forget about the doom and gloom surrounding Scout and the Advent Deck. They could just let go of the stress for the time being. No Mirror Monsters, no Rogue Knight, no possible conspiracy of someone copying their tech. Today, they were just teenagers enjoying a day at the carnival with their girlfriends.

Arthur found that they were due for some relaxation. Besides, he felt like he hadn't been able to really enjoy a private outing with Raven in forever after. He hoped the day would continue being peaceful and he could perhaps get some time to get closer with his girlfriend. He heard there was a Tunnel of Love somewhere and he hoped Raven wouldn't mind riding it with him.

"Oooh, Arthur, they're going to have a joust!" Raven pointed to a poster that caught her eye.

"Really? They do that here?" Arthur followed his girlfriend's gaze. He read through the poster, amazed he'd be able to see a real joust, but then stopped when he saw the faces printed at the bottom of the poster. "Wait a second? 'The Knights of the Round Table will compete as special guests'?!"

"What?" Raven blinked. Sure enough, with images of the Riders' helms, there was a printed note stating that the Knights of the Round Table were going to be competing with others who wished to enter. "Arthur, you didn't tell me you were a jouster."

"I'm not," Arthur sighed. "Merlin, dang it."

(-)

"Yes," Merlin grinned evilly, rubbing his hands together as he waited at the jousting field. It was a large circular arena with a dirt ground and a wooden rail in the middle to help guide the jousters. The stands were set up, draped with colorful fabrics, and even had polished shields acting as decorations. For brand recognition, Merlin even had the shields emblazoned with the emblems of the Knights of the Round Table.

Merlin could already feel the warm touch of gold in his hands, "It comes to fruition. Show us the true performing power of the Knights of the Round Table."

Mira rolled her eyes at her boss' monologuing, "Boss, this might be your fun, but it will be you sent on the run."

Merlin just waved off her warning, "Oh, relax, Mira. What's the worst that can happen?"

Mira merely shook her head, "I'll set a funeral date, you just tempted fate."

(-)

When the time of the joust came near, all of the Knights got an 'emergency' call from Merlin to meet at the jousting field. They came, of course, although some of them had already seen the posters promoting the joust. Needless to say, none of the group was pleased when it was clear that Merlin wanted them all to take part in the actual joust. None of them had jousted before and they had no idea what the rules were.

Merlin waved off their concerns, telling them that they could wear their armor for the joust and reminded them that they had plenty of experience riding horses by now. With the strength the suits offered them, lifting a wooden lance with one hand would be easy. They could even use their Mirror Warhorses, making it even less likely for them to accidentally fall off.

The Knights naturally weren't enthusiastic by the idea. Seeing reluctance among them, Merlin laid down his ace. He told them that people were already filling the stands and bought tickets to the event. If the Knights didn't joust, he would have to pay them back and that would cost the library money. Money that Merlin would have to take from their salary in order to make up for. With their paychecks on the line, the Knights reluctantly accepted the deal.

"We kick Merlin's butt for all the aches and pains we're about to suffer after this. All agreed?" Ryuki sighed.

"Aye," came thirteen voices in response.

The Riders were all in their suits of armor, all but sulking as they were rounded up by Merlin and told they were going to compete in the joust. Now, despite the threat to their pay, some of them were curious about jousting and some of their wilder members may have even been willing to give it a try.

They were waiting inside of the tent outside of the jousting ring on their warhorses. Nerves were high as many didn't want to look dumb on horseback. Not with their current reputations.

"At least we're not suffering alone," Scissors commented. "Other people signed up too."

The Crab Knight was referring to a few other jousting enthusiasts who had also signed up for the tournament. They were mostly students from their school who wanted to get in on the jousting. They recognized some of them, like Daring, who was wearing polished silver armor.

"What about that guy? Anyone know him?" asked Ohja. One knight sported polished metal armor and even had a red cape flowing down their back. Their helmet was on, hiding their features, but everyone knew they were taking the joust seriously at least.

"Nah. Hasn't taken his helmet off. Probably an enthusiast or something," Knight shrugged. "Well, no helping it. Let's just have fun with this and kick Merlin's butt when it's over."

Trumpets were blown and the Riders moved their horses to the front of the tent. As the guests of honor, they were the opening show. Helpers passed them banners, each made in their colors with their respective emblems. They were told to take a lap around the ring, two by two. The horses would be able to keep pace, the Riders just had to hold on and keep their banners raised.

All of them would agree that when Merlin got their horses, he had an event like this already planned.

The curtains of the tent opened and the Riders began to ride out on horseback, banners raised as they entered the sunlight. Cheers began to erupt as they rode. Two by two, they did their lap around the ring, letting the people see them and cheer. More than just the students of Ever After High were present. So were the other residents of Book End who had heard of the Riders, but never got to see them up close except when a fight would spill out into the streets. To see them in-person, hailed as heroes by Snow White, and able to watch them in a show was a big deal, especially for the children who had only heard of them.

Once their lap was done, the Riders moved to the middle of the field, lined up under the announcer's stage. Once they were set, the other competitors began filing out on their horses. They received cheers and praise as well, especially Daring since he had his helmet off while flashing a smile. Once the last of them were on the field, a familiar figure in white stood up in the announcer booth.

Merlin stood at a podium which was above the stands, acting as the MC of the joust, "Welcome one and all to our marvelous joust, the star attraction being our own heroes, the Knights of the Round Table!" Cheers erupted as the Riders waved to the crowd, looking for their girlfriends who had gotten front row seats to the show. They were easily spotted.

"Now, as a bit of a classic twist to our little drama, let it be known," Merlin kept going. "Any knight that wins a round to advance, receives a rose which he can give to the fair maiden of their choice. You ladies in the crowd, do your best to catch your favorite knight's attention so he may crown you his maiden and earn your favor in return!"

Many girls cheered and were quick to find a spot to hopefully get a knight's attention. Of course, many people knew the Knights of the Round Table were all in relationships, but they weren't the only people competing in the joust. Other girls didn't really care, hoping to draw in the attention of one of the fourteen heroes and maybe get a toe in the door of luring them into their stories. The fourteen ladies themselves quickly looked to the vendors walking by the rows offering ribbons and such as souvenirs, but could double as quick signs of favor if they wanted them to be.

"Over here!" Apple sang. "I'd like some ribbons please!"

"Us too!" Holly and Poppy raised their hands.

The souvenir ribbons quickly began selling out as the princesses and other girls began buying them, hoping to be able to give it to a victorious knight.

Merlin, seeing pure profit, merely smiled and continued his announcements, "And with that out of the way, please enjoy your refreshments as we begin our first joust. Mira Mirror who adheres to the law, who will be the first knights of the draw?"

Mira stepped up, holding her mirror where it could be seen by all. The glass was clouded for several moments before a line bisected the image, showing the crests of Verde and one of the other competitors.

"The first to me, seems to be Sir Verde and Sir Henry," Mira beamed, bringing cheers from the Wonderlandians for their clique's knight.

"Alright!" Merlin waved his staff. "Knights, prepare yourselves accordingly! Sir Verde, Sir Henry, please situate yourselves on the field!"

Verde and the aforementioned Sir Henry, someone who wanted in on the sport, went to opposite ends of the field. The other knights moved back to the tent. Verde got to his end as an attendant brought him a wooden lance and a round wooden shield with his emblem on it.

The rules of the joust were simple. There were three charges and competitors were to aim their blunted lances at the bodies of their opponents. Depending on where they struck, they got points. Hitting the shield was one point. The body was three points, and the shoulder that the shield had the easiest time protecting was worth five points. Being dismounted was an instant elimination. Fortunately, Merlin cast safeguards so that falling off the horse wouldn't do much more than knock the wind out of someone.

The trumpets blew as the knights brought their horses up to the starting positions. Both waited before the trumpets blew again, prompting everyone to cheer and the horses began charging. Verde huffed behind his helmet, clearly nervous but trusting Merlin's magic. As they got closer, they lowered their lances and began to take aim at their targets.

*KRACK!*

The lances splintered as they hit. Verde managed to lift his shield and take the blow against it where he managed to slip by Sir Henry's guard and strike his torso. Judges were quick to have replays happen and they scored the points appropriately. Verde and Henry reached the other sides of the field and quickly got ready again, receiving new lances. Cheers followed them as Verde's supporters saw his early lead and Henry's supporters gave him encouragement.

Round two began and the two made for another charge, racing down the line at one another. Their lances lowered once again before the resounding crack echoed through the air. Verde took a blow to his body, but Verde got Henry in the abdomen. The force had Henry slide back before he fell off the back end of his horse and onto the dirt of the field. Cheers erupted from the field at Verde's victory. Gracious though, Verde helped his opponent up before riding to the middle where Merlin waited.

"Congratulations Sir Verde," Merlin nodded. "You have earned your rose and the right to show a maiden here your favor." Mira stepped forward and dropped a single red rose to Verde's waiting hands. "Who shall be your maiden today?"

"Like that's a hard choice," Verde chuckled. He looked to the audience and began to ride around the ring, looking for the telltale red and black hair. Many other princesses and damsels in the seats were waving at him, hoping to get his attention, but he passed over them. It wasn't hard to find her and Verde rode to the row of seats where she was sitting.

"Would you accept my favor, fair maiden?" he asked, presenting Lizzie with the rose.

"I do!" Lizzie blushed vibrantly, taking the rose. She quickly dug out her ribbon, taking Verde's arm and tying it around his wrist. "N-Now you ride with the favor of the Princess of Hearts. I expect a great show or it's off with your head!"

"Then I had better joust well," Verde laughed before he kicked his horse and headed back to the competitor's tent.

"And now, for the next pair of jousters!" Merlin announced, looking to Mira, whose mirror was already selecting the next competitors.

(-)

The Riders easily guessed that Merlin wanted each of them to have their time in the sun, either for profit or some other reason. None of them jousted each other until most of the other competitors had been eliminated. The only exceptions were Daring and the silver knight, who clearly had jousting experience already. This, of course, made fourteen happy girlfriends as they each got a rose of favor and managed to tie a ribbon to their own boyfriends in the process. The crowd didn't really mind, expecting the heroes of Ever After High to eliminate the other competitors. They were the Knights of the Round Table after all.

(-)

Merlin had announced the next matchup after Abyss defeated his opponent in points, earning his victory. Meeshell was as pink as her hair when he presented the rose to her. Mira quickly began shuffling the competitors for the next joust before it came up to the crests of Knight and Daring. Cheers erupted as people saw an incoming grudge match for the two who were considered the best picks for Apple White's hand.

"Daring," Knight greeted.

"Lance," Daring greeted back. "May the best man win."

"Oh, I intend to," Knight smirked.

"OK, you two. You can have a sword-measuring contest during your match," Ryuki sighed. "C'mon, Lance. Let's get you ready for this."

"Daring's doing better than I thought he would," Gai commented as he waited his turn.

"Well, he has been trained to do this," Ohja shrugged. "Makes sense he'd do well."

Knight and Daring took up their lances and shields before they took their respective sides. Daring's armor gleamed like his teeth in the sun while Knight's seemed to almost absorb light. They were two contrasts to each other. Some people may have seen it as a grudge match, but the two themselves just saw it as another bit of their rivalry.

The trumpets blared and both young men charged at each other.

(-)

The match was one of the short ones. Daring showed he was a better jouster and managed to nail Knight in the center of his chest. It took Knight clear off of his horse and he landed heavily in the dirt. Daring proved gracious in his victory, although he made it clear it was his victory. Then he took his rose and gave it to a different girl than his first one. Again, no one seemed to mind.

"OK, that is a very epic fairy tale fail for me," Lance grimaced, getting checked by Baba Yaga in the medical tent. "I didn't even fall with style."

"Better than a faceplant," Ryuki shrugged. "But, hey, you did your best. No shame in that."

"OK, I'm here!" Apple came into the tent.

"Hey, Apple - whoa, Hello, Nurse!" Lance gawked.

"Well, since this princess needs to nurse her prince back to health, I need to dress the part," Apple said proudly, dressed as a nurse. It was light pink with a gown-like skirt and had her apple symbol on the chest.

"I'm still your prince? Even after I lost to Daring?" Lance asked.

"Oh, that was just a game. I know that, when it really matters, you'll always fight to win," Apple pinched his cheek lovingly.

(-)

Daring could have been the one to win, but the silver knight eliminated him in the next round. Although the crowd loved the silver knight, he kept giving his roses to Ashlynn, who politely accepted them, but quickly put them aside and she didn't give that knight her favor either. That didn't seem to deter the man as he kept giving her the roses every time he won. It made Hunter feel better to see Ashlynn turn him down, although he was annoyed by the guy's persistence.

The eliminations continued on as the Riders had to joust each other. They made for a great show even if they didn't know every point of skill needed for the joust. The silver knight continued to win, defying expectations until it was only he and Ryuki who were the last two knights remaining.

"Knights, you have battled hard to come this far," Merlin announced to the two. "Hold your heads high, for you have done yourselves proud this day. Joust hard for the prize and the chance to crown your Queen of Love and Beauty." Next to him, Mira lifted a laurel of bright red roses, with their thorns plucked off, of course, and many of the girls hoped it would be them who would get to wear it.

Ryuki and the Silver Knight took to their respective sides of the field. They were given lances and shields again before they prepared themselves. Ryuki felt a thrill go through him as he could admit that he was having a lot of fun in the competition. If this was available back home, he would have taken it up ages ago!

The trumpets blared and the two knights began charging at one another. Ryuki eyed the knight, trying to see where he might see an opening to get his torso or shoulder. Keeping his focus, he felt his breath increase when the knight got closer. Once they began getting into range, Ryuki's eyes widened when he saw the silver knight suddenly tilt his lance up, aiming for his head.

"Woah!" Ryuki cried, leaning back so the lance missed, although the angle was difficult. Around them, the crowd began to boo and shout at the unsportsmanlike conduct. Both knights came to a stop and Ryuki spun around, "Hey, what the hex?!"

"Nicely dodged, Dragon Knight," the silver knight chuckled as he turned his horse around.

"Nicely dodged? You almost took my head off!" Ryuki shouted back.

"Yes. Fortunately, I was intending to miss," the knight lamented. Sighing, he flicked his wrist and produced a black Advent Deck imprinted with an equine face. He pointed it at his own armor, causing his V-Buckle to appear around his waist.

"No way!" Ryuki gasped.

"Henshin!" the knight declared, sliding the Advent Deck into place.

Grayscale armor folded over the knight, banishing the reflective steel he wore in favor of a different suit. The bodysuit was black like Ryuga's. The chest armor looked much like the breastplate of a knight, but pressed for a male chest, made of gold with silver accents. Gold unicorn heads made the shoulder plates. The gauntlets and greaves were made of gold, the gloves being black with gold edging. The helmet was black and shaped like a knight's helm, styled like an open face with the visor being T-shaped with sharp edges that merged with his mouth plate. The visor was gold and a black mane-like ornament rose from the helmet with a gold stone set in the forehead. Strapped to his side was a rapier that had a unicorn horn-like blade coming from a black unicorn's head.

"Rejoice! You stand in the presence of the epitome of royal blood! I am the Perfect Knight," the new Rider declared proudly. "Here to take my rightful place as the Prince of all Tales!"

"You? A Prince? You just tried to take my head off!" Ryuki snapped, shocked at the appearance of a new Rider.

"Bah, if I truly wished it, your head would have been gone," Perfect Knight scoffed. "This was a test, Dragon Knight, nothing more."

"What do you want?" Ryuki frowned.

"I have come to test your claim of kingship, Arthur Pendragon," Perfect knight pointed at Ryuki. "Only a Perfect Knight could become a Perfect King. As such, I have come to test you, or come and take your destiny for myself, as only a prince as perfect as I can hope to achieve it!"

"Another destiny obsessed creep," Ryuki muttered darkly. He looked up to Perfect Knight, "So you think you can just step up and take whatever destiny you want?"

"It is my right as being a perfect prince," Perfect Knight declared. "But you stand in my way." He drew his Visor and pointed it at Ryuki, "And I will not allow anyone but me to have the perfect kingdom."

"Great," Ryuki hissed. Swiftly tossing away his sword and lance, he drew a card to insert in his Drag Visor.

[Sword Vent!]

Catching his Drag Saber as it flew from the reflection cast by the metal shields hanging below the stands as decorations, Ryuki prepared himself.

"Hah! Prepare yourself!" Perfect Knight laughed and charged atop his horse for Ryuki.

"Hyah!" Ryuki snapped his reins.

The two met in a clash of sparks as their weapons crashed against one another. The two swung at each other, Perfect Knight clearly making a flourish of himself as he kept attacking, almost like he was making a show of it.

"Ah-ha!" Perfect Knight declared, swinging wide, clashing against Ryuki's sword. "You have no style! No flair! A king must be an idol among their people! Show your skill and flourish! Make yourself the source of adoration of your people!"

Ryuki grunted and he couldn't believe the creep had the nerve to critique him, "Excuse me for wanting to be a real leader and not a show pony!" He pushed Perfect Knight back and swung hard, making the Perfect Knight's horse rear back.

"Bah!" Perfect Knight huffed. "A Perfect King has their underlings do everything for them! A king in turn can do everything they want!"

Perfect Knight sheathed his weapon and drew a card from his belt. He then pulled on the mane of the horse head on his weapon. It moved back, revealing the card chamber inside. He slid the card inside before slamming it shut.

[Sword Vent!]

A new weapon appeared and Perfect Knight grabbed it. It looked like a lance which resembled a gold spiral horn with a smaller horn coming from the base. Wielding it, Perfect Knight moved into a jousting stance and charged towards Ryuki.

[Guard Vent!]

Catching his Drag Shield, which was a red and silver shield resembling Dragredder's belly with its clawed limbs connected to it, Ryuki put it up to defend himself. He lifted it in front of him and the lance crashed against the shield. Pushing the lance away, he swung hard, catching Perfect Knight across the chest. The Perfect Knight yelped, almost falling from his horse. Ryuki had to blink for a moment as Perfect Knight pulled his horse back. He hadn't really hit Perfect Knight that hard due to the angle and being on horseback.

"Y-you hit me!" Perfect Knight gasped.

"Uh...yeah, that's what fighting is about," Ryuki nodded. "You hit me, I hit back, that's part of fighting."

"You're not supposed to hit me! I'm the Perfect Knight, I never get hit!" Perfect Knight snapped.

"...have you never been in a fight before?" Ryuki deadpanned.

"Yes! I've battled my trainers and fellow students all the time! I win! Always! That's how it works!" Perfect Knight retorted. He drew another card and swiftly slid it into his Perfect Visor.

[Advent!]

Another shield rippled before a large warhorse emerged from it, completely black with gold lining and thick armored greaves over its front hooves. Its tail and mane were gold and looked like solid metal while a pair of horns came from the middle of its head, one larger than the other. It neighed loudly and charged into the fray towards Ryuki and his horse.

"Arthur!" Raven cried, seeing the bicorn-like monster charging towards her boyfriend.

The monster crashed into Ryuki's horse, knocking both over in a heap. The horse let off a neigh and struggled as Ryuki had to pull himself out from underneath. Grunting, he saw the horse monster charge at him, trying to impale him with its horns.

"Crap!" Ryuki huffed, rolling under the rail which helped keep the jousters from running into each other. He swiftly grabbed another card after tossing his weapons away.

[Advent!]

Dragredder appeared and flew out of another reflection, lunging for the bicorn monster. It neighed and reared back to buck at the dragon, but Dragredder was just bigger and still crashed into it, knocking both to the ground as they fought.

"That's not fair!" Perfect Knight snapped. "I'm supposed to have the more glorious creature!"

Ryuki looked on incredulously. Perfect Knight sounded like a spoiled brat that complained when another kid in the playground had a better toy.

"Seriously?" Ryuki questioned. "Didn't you know anything about me? Everyone knows I have a dragon!"

"No one told me!" Perfect Knight snapped back. "Your lizard isn't better than my Bicolius!" He drew another card and slotted it into his visor.

[Nasty Vent!]

The horse monster, revealed to be named Bicolius, neighed and reared back again before its horn began to shine. After several moments, the horn released a bright gold light which spread out over the arena. Many people cried out and covered their eyes. Dragredder roared in pain, closing its eyes while rearing back. Bicolius broke free from the dragon and kicked hard, smashing Dragredder back into a heap.

"Ah-ha! Face my valiant light!" Perfect Knight cheered, seeing Dragredder stumble.

"Oh come on," Ryuki sighed, the flash fading from his eyes. "One hit and he thinks he won?"

"Here I come, to claim my destiny!" Perfect Knight declared, charging on horseback at Ryuki.

Raven bit her bottom lip anxiously. Most of the audience were just laughing at Perfect Knight or gasping at the action. While the audience was eating this up, she knew this was not a show. She needed to help Ryuki. Violet magic danced around her hand and she silently cast a spell, aiming for Perfect Knight's steed.

Her spell warped the ground just in front of it, turning it to mud. The horse trampled through, but the slippery mud suddenly made it neigh and lose its balance. Falling over, it fell into the dirt, tossing Perfect Knight down. The somewhat flakey knight gagged and sputtered as he found his face buried in the dirt.

"Ack! My armor! My pristine armor!" Perfect Knight gasped, quickly pulling himself up to try and get the dirt off. "I just got this, you stupid horse! Now look at it!"

Laughter broke out from the stands at Perfect Knight and Raven had to breathe a sigh of relief. Around her, the girlfriends of the other Riders looked to her with relief of their own. It seemed like her, they were clued in to the fact that Perfect Knight wasn't just a part of the show. No matter how pathetic he seemed to be, his monster seemed to make up for it.

Ryuki managed to get the glare out of his eyes and saw Dragredder and Bicolius were still fighting, tearing at each other. The Perfect Knight on the other hand was getting up from a spill while his horse tried to roll back onto its hooves.

Ryuki ran for his discarded sword, picking up his Drag Saber, and then made his way to Perfect Knight.

"Ugh, I hate dirt and...huh?" Perfect Knight looked up and saw Ryuki approaching, patting the edge of his sword in his hand like a baseball bat. The knight yelped and got to his feet, clumsily pulling his rapier from his side again. "S-Stay away! I'll cut you down!"

"Yeah, sure you will," Ryuki retorted. "Good luck without your horse helping you."

Perfect Knight may have tried to retort, but Ryuki charged and swung his sword. The blades met and the two began to dance the timeless dance of blades. Cheers were beginning to come from the stands, cheering for Ryuki to win and defeat the pathetic Perfect Knight. To his credit, Perfect Knight seemed to know how to use his sword, even if he didn't have much combat experience. On the other hand, Ryuki had plenty of experience, even if any actual knowledge came secondhand from his contract with Dragredder.

Ryuki grunted as he sidestepped a stab from Perfect Knight before he swung at him. He lifted his sword, blocking the strike. Of course, he gave a pathetic yelp when the blade got close, making it painfully clear he wasn't used to people fighting back, much less taking hits.

"Will you give me the chance to hit you already?!" Perfect Knight whined, swinging wide and making another thrust. Ryuki grunted and turned the blow away, but not before it nicked his shoulder. Ryuki felt the sting in his arm but he pushed the weapon aside and slashed, making Perfect Knight yelp from the blow and stumble back.

"Okay pal, I don't know who put you up to this, but you're in over your head," Ryuki sighed, hefting his sword over his shoulder. "Just give up and stop embarrassing yourself."

"Ha! When I have you right where I want you?" Perfect Knight boasted. "Now is when I cut you down and take my destiny!" He charged at Ryuki yet again, sword raised.

Ryuki sighed before he tossed his Drag Saber up and, as expected, Perfect Knight's eyes followed it. Using the distraction to his advantage, he punched Perfect Knight in the face then kicked him in the chest, knocking him to the ground. Ryuki caught his Drag Saber as it came back down before pointing it at his fallen opponent.

"Do you yield?" Ryuki questioned.

"Uh...I…Ah...that's it…" Perfect Knight gulped. "Ah...BICOLIUS!"

In the midst of its fight, the bicorn Mirror Monster kicked, catching Dragredder in the middle before charging for where Ryuki and Perfect Knight were fighting. Ryuki spun around as Bicolius aimed its horns at him. Immediately Ryuki jumped aside to avoid being gored. Bicolius continued, aiming low before it dug its horn under Perfect Knight and tossed him into the air.

Perfect Knight gave a frankly girlish scream as he flew before coming back down on Bicolius' back. With a neigh, the equine Mirror Monster charged for the edge of the area, leaping for one of the decorative shields. In a flash, both monster and Rider vanished, escaping to the Mirror World.

"Oh come on," Ryuki sighed, getting up to his feet. He glanced over to Dragredder who snarled and merely flew to another shield to return home. "Yeah, he ticks me off too."

All of a sudden, cheers and praise began to erupt from the stands and it stunned Ryuki for a moment. Looking around, he saw the audience was still there and hadn't run when the new Rider appeared. They had all just kept watching.

"Uh…" Ryuki blinked.

"They think it's part of the show," Merlin spoke low, making Ryuki spin around to see the man jump down from above. He looked like he was being a gracious host, although his eyes showed he was anything but carefree. "Just go with it. We can deal with the details later."

"Right," Ryuki muttered before he looked out to the crowd and began waving to them, earning more cheers and praise.

"And now we have our champion! Our own Arthur Pendragon, Sir Ryuki!" Merlin called for all to hear. In a flourish of his hands, he presented the rose laurel to Ryuki. "Now then, Sir Ryuki, who shall be your Queen of Love and Beauty?"

Ryuki took the laurel and couldn't help but feel a little giddy. He gave a sharp whistle, and his warhorse came back to the fray from where it ran after being knocked over. Mounting the construct, Ryuki trotted over to the stands once again. He came to Raven, who clearly looked relieved that the battle was over. Coming closer, Ryuki lifted the crown of roses and gently placed it on Raven's head.

"I name Raven Queen as my Queen of Love and Beauty," Ryuki announced.

"You ham," Raven whispered, but she had a rosy blush on her cheeks and a wide smile on her lips.

Ryuki chuckled and held out his hand for Raven, feeling a little like hamming it up. Raven continued to smile as she took it, standing up. Taking hold of her waist, Ryuki lifted her up and over the front of the stands before placing her on his horse with him. He began a lap of victory around the arena, amidst the cheers, praise, and some signs of envy towards Raven. Raven continued to blush, but as people threw ribbons into the arena, showing their love of the show, she really began feeling like the princess Arthur insisted on treating her like.

Book End Library

"Okay, what the hex was all that?" asked Lance when the knights reconvened in the Book End Library. Their girlfriends were with them, all of them wanting to know about Perfect Knight and his appearance.

It was a good turn of luck that made the audience believe that Perfect Knight was just part of the show. He had just been so pathetic and in over his head, no one believed that he was a threat that was akin to Bow Knight in the past. Arthur could barely believe it himself, even as his classmates were all praising him on his performance. Still, they all ran with it, since it may have invited trouble otherwise.

"Off the top of my head?" asked Max, holding what looked like a jar of magic jelly beans he won as a prize for a bean guessing game. Ramona was holding a similar jar. "I'd say whoever gave Scout Huntsman his deck, passed another one to someone else. Only this one is clearly a pinhead."

"He was pretty pathetic," Ramona snorted, chomping on some jelly beans. "You sure he was supposed to take you down, King?"

"He seemed to think so," Arthur sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Raven was at his side, taking care to ensure her rose laurel was on her head. "He had training but it was more like he was trained to think he was better than he actually was."

"Teachers bribed. Enhance ego," Gawain concluded.

"So...rich kid parents paid teachers to make him feel good and stay out of trouble?" suggested Gabe, slightly woozy from such an exciting day. Holly was already trapping him in her lap, a cold press on his forehead.

"And he ends up with a bark bigger than his bite," Darren remarked. "Can't even handle it when Arthur fought back since his sparring partners took a dive."

"Well, I say off with the ego!" Lizzie huffed. "Such a fool is a stain on knighthood! Especially since he copies our beloved knights!"

"Something about him seems familiar," Darling remarked, looking deep in thought, an ornate sword strapped to her side.

"Familiar how, Darling?" asked Gwen, holding her hand.

Darling shook her head, "I can't put my finger on it. I just feel like I've seen the way Perfect Knight carries himself before."

"Maybe he's related to you," Kyle suggested. "I mean, he called himself the future prince of all stories. Maybe he's a Charming."

Darling gave Kyle a deadpan look while Gwen glared, "That does not narrow it down. There are numerous families named Charming. Despite the name, we aren't all related either. If he is a Charming, there are too many families to even consider asking without more clues."

"And that's if he is a Charming, and not just a prince anyway, like Hopper or Humphrey are," Tristan added. "It's not just Charmings who become princes."

"So, what's the plan?" Lance asked.

"We keep our eyes open for any strange activity. Whoever is handing out these rogue Advent Decks is trying to build an army and sending them against us," Rex instructed. "So far we've been lucky where one was arrogant and the other was just stupid. They might be holding their actual fighters in reserve until the time is right."

"Scary thought," Apple frowned, hugging Lance's arm.

"So, what do we call these new knights?" Darren questioned. "'The Legion of Doom'?"

"How about 'The Order of No Quarter'?" suggested Gabe.

Arthur rolled his eyes, "Let's not commit copyright infringement. Anyway, why do we need to name them anything?"

"Well, we call ourselves the Knights of the Round Table," Kevin shrugged. "May as well call these guys something. Blondie will think of a name and probably a tacky one that will stick too."

"Like the 'Order of Disorder'?" Rob joked. "Or 'Knights of the Crooked Table'?"

"Or, 'No-Good Knights'," Max supplied.

"The 'Rogues Gallery'," Rex joined in.

Many of the girls giggled, but soon began to throw their own suggestions in. Many names were suggested, going from silly to semi-serious as they pitched ideas. It all just turned into an impromptu gathering of friends and lovers at Book End's library. It served to help everyone relax and try to not think about the problem they were faced with.

(-)

As his wards and their girlfriends were relaxing after a long day of fun and sudden intrigue, Merlin strolled through his library. Coming to his office, he closed the door and pressed a hidden switch on the underside of his desk. A back wall opened, allowing Merlin to enter.

"Okay, Phase 1 is complete," he smiled. Before him were boxes of what looked like merchandise. There were posters, action figures, and plushies of the Knights of the Round Table. How he got the images for the posters would be a mystery no one would find out.

"Now, we can begin looking at Phase 2," Merlin rubbed his hands together. "And then we will have Phase 3: profit!"

Hey, his kind of operation didn't run itself. Those kids had to earn their keep somehow.

Mirror World - Carnival Grounds

Bicolius threw Perfect Knight to the ground and pointed his horns threateningly at him. It neighed and huffed.

"What!?" Perfect Knight shouted incredulously. "You demand to be fed after that shameful display!?" Bicolius, angry, raised its forehooves and stamped them down in front of Perfect Knight. "Eeek! Okay, okay! I'll feed you!"

Bicolius snorted, satisfied before turning down the rows of carnival games. Snarls and hoots echoed from the rows, signaling Mirror Monsters approaching, all eager for a meal.

Perfect Knight stood up and shook his head, "A-as a the Perfect Knight, I shall defend these fairgrounds from evil! None shall be kidnapped to be these foul fiends' food!"

It would have been more convincing if Perfect Knight's voice hadn't been warbling. Bicolius snorted and merely poked Perfect Knight forward with its horns, making the Rider yelp, but he still charged towards where the monsters may be.

Wow. That's just kind of pathetic. Scout put up a way better fight. Did we get the right character, Mom?

It says his name right here in the dramatis personae. He's the one who is supposed to be there.

I'm surprised he lasted longer than one chapter. Scout was much more threatening.

Well, maybe he'll amount to something if he gets another chapter or two.

Bo-ring! I want more of the good guys and their love lives! Wonder what happens next.

Brooke, what did we say about reading ahead?

Fine, I'll wait.

A/N: Well, here is Chapter 17. It was kind of a skeleton when Chrome and I looked back, preparing to post it. So we worked it, adding detail and description. A lot of people commented on my name for Bow Knight so I'll explain my reasoning. When I was looking at Arthurian Lore for background, I noticed that unless a knight was specifically named, they were merely called a knight with a certain feature, usually the color of their armor. Black Knight, Copper Knight, Green Knight, etc. I just followed the trend with these Rogue Knights, naming them after a feature they have which makes them unique, or at least a feature they think makes them unique. If that knight joins the ranks of the Knights of the Round Table, their name will change.