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 26 Knights of the High Seas
Today's chapter in our tale of knights, adventure, and romance takes place not at Ever After High, or the Enchanted Forest, but out on the shores of the sea.
With Spring Break in full swing, many are taking advantage of it and going to have at least one day of fun in the sun.
Yay! Beach party!
A bus was driving along the path in the forest. Riding in the bus was a group of teens who were on their way to the beach. As it was spring break, this was the perfect time for a little vacation.
Ben hummed a soft tune to himself as he leaned against his window during the long ride through the forest with Meeshell curled into his side, snoring softly. Their ride was actually pretty smooth and their destination promised to be a very enjoyable one.
Since it was Spring Break, Meeshell got invited by her mother to return to the beach for at least a day or so and meet up while having fun at a resort she recommended. Of course, Queen Pearl insisted on her bringing Ben and some friends along with her. So, Meeshell excitedly offered the opportunity to Ben and, with Merlin's approval, he accepted.
Coming along with them was Holly who brought her sister and that meant their boyfriends were coming too. Ben had invited Harry and Rob to come along as well, which meant Briar and Nina got invited too as they got their gear together for a day of fun by the seaside.
They met up at the Book End Library and a private bus came to pick them up. It was the kind spellebrities and other super-rich folks would ride to go on tour with. The boys' jaws dropped when they saw the luxuries inside. Couches, beds, a minifridge, a TV, all sorts of things to make bus travel way more comfortable. The girls, for the most part, seemed to take it in stride. They were understandably used to such luxuries as they were princesses and the daughters of famous fairy tale figures.
"Can you believe all this?" Gabe called from where he claimed one of the bunk beds. "All this, just for a ride to go to the beach?"
"Well, it is far away and Queen Mermaid did offer the invitation," Rob shrugged, again seemingly taking everything in stride. Nina was in her tiny form, reading a book with him on his shoulder.
"Yeah, but this is like, something you only hear about in legendary spring break stories," Gabe replied, squirming his way out of the bunk. He dropped to the floor and trotted back out. "I mean, legendary like 'Girls Gone Wild' legendary."
"Aren't you a little too young to see that?" Harry teased as Briar slept on his lap, pinning him to the couch.
Gabe huffed, "Not funny, Harry." He was the same age as them, not a little kid even with his appearance.
"So what is the resort like?" Ben asked.
"Lemme look it up," Harry pulled out his phone to search for info on the seaside beach resort. "Hm, the Pearl Resort. Pretty standard stuff. They've got activities, a spa, and a seafood buffet. It also has a five crown rating."
"Snk! The Pearl Resort?!" Briar snapped awake and sat up. "We're going there?!"
"How did you...nevermind," Harry shook his head. "That's where Meeshell said we're going. You had fallen asleep by then. You know the place?"
"Know it? It's one of the biggest hot spots for vacations and oceanside parties!" Briar gaped. "You have to get a reservation months in advance and Meeshell's mom got us a spot for a day trip?"
"I know!" Poppy all but squealed, "Isn't this happily ever awesome?"
"I'm lost," Tristan scratched his head. "So, this place is supposed to be top tier?"
"It is the top tier!" Poppy corrected. "Nothing gets better than the Pearl Resort! Oooh, I can't wait!"
"We'll have so much fun! Like back at the beach party!" Gabe cheered excitedly. "We'll play beach volleyball, build sandcastles, have a beach barbeque, and even take long romantic walks on the beach."
Sometimes it was hard to believe Gabe was their age until he said something that proved it. Yes, he looked like a little kid but weren't they all just kids? They loved to have fun but they also wanted to enjoy themselves with their girlfriends.
"I'm just happy Merlin let us go on this vacation," Rob said. While he did take his duty as Scissors seriously, he still liked to have a vacation.
"Well, the condition was that a team should be left to stand guard in case of another attack," Ben added. "They should be able to handle things without us and if they need us we're just a phone call away."
Pearl Resort
The bus finally came to the Pearl Resort, an expansive area with a long beach by a tall hotel building. In all, it looked exactly like the kind of place in which high-rollers would stay during a vacation on a tropical island. People were all over the place, enjoying the beach, poolside tiki bars, and it seemed like some were gearing up for a golf course nearby. There were also advertisements for horseback riding.
"Woah," the boys gaped at the sight of the resort. Gabe used this chance to take a selfie with the resort in the background. He had to post this on Fablebook.
"This is so exciting!" Nina cheered. "Come on Rob! Let's find our rooms!"
Queen Pearl had reserved a royal penthouse suite for the group. Naturally, it was divided between the boys and the girls. Still, Pearl trusted her daughter and her friends to conduct themselves properly. Knights of course would keep to propriety as well. They were chivalrous heroes, after all.
Once the group checked into their suite, the group changed to their swim gear and got ready for a day of fun in the sun. The boys wore outfits similar to their trip to Mirror Lake, trunks that matched their colors and Hawaiian-style shirts which had their Contract Beasts decorating them. It was all part of Merlin's fun in having his knights color-coded like some kind of superhero team.
The girls, on the other hand, had many more fashion options. Ones which had the boys staring as they were seeing their girlfriends in swimsuits.
Holly emerged with her hair done in a long braid, thanks to her sister's help, which looked nice. She wore an orange halter style one piece which had white ivy designs running across it.
Poppy had a bit more of a tomboy style with a purple halter top with cut off denim shorts.
Meeshell had a green bikini top which had a seashell design with pink bottoms and her usual blue sarong patterned with fish scales.
Briar wore a pink and black bikini that had rose patterns across it and her hair was tied in a braid of her own. Her rose sunglasses were already across her eyes, ready for the day.
Nina was sporting a bright yellow tube top with matching bottoms and a pale yellow sarong.
"What do you think boys?" Nina smiled, posing in her suit.
"Well, it looks like we'll be fending off beach jocks today," Rob gave a mock-serious huff and crossed his arms. Nina broke out into giggles and kissed his cheek.
"Well? What are we waiting for?" Briar grinned. "We're at a beach resort! Let's go have some fun!"
"YEAH!"
Pearl Resort - Beach
The beach was a long expanse of white sand that looked out into a deep blue sea. Some of the patrons were there, but the beach was just so long and large, there was enough room for everyone to have a patch of it to themselves. A fact the group was using to their advantage to have their fun.
Rob and Nina were collecting seashells together. She just found all the shells that were washed up on the beach so beautiful.
"Hey, what about this one?" Nina asked as she showed her boyfriend a shell.
"That one has a hermit crab inside," Rob answered.
"Oh, sorry, Mr. Hermit Crab." Nina put the shell down and she watched as the crab emerged and walked away.
Under a beach umbrella, Briar was enjoying the warm air and a tropical drink she snagged from the tiki bar. Nothing alcoholic since they were all minors, but it was a tropical fruit punch that tasted amazing. Harry was next to her, reading a book as they just lounged and enjoyed the beachside paradise.
Harry tried to focus on his book but he could not help but steal glances at Briar as she reclined in her chair. She was sexy, no doubt about it, and that swimsuit left little to the imagination, showing off her curves. He heard some guys whistling as they walked by, checking her out. Well, that was to be expected. As the daughter of Sleeping Beauty, Briar had inherited her mother's good looks. The beach and swimsuits made the fairest of fairy tale princesses into beautiful and desirable young women. In fact, Harry wondered if Briar would one day consider a modeling career after she fulfilled her destiny.
"Gabriel, could you please rub some lotion on my back?" Holly asked as she moved her hair aside. Her halter-style swimsuit left her back bare and Gabe's face flushed at the smooth skin staring back at him.
"Um, yeah, sure," he said as he put the lotion on his hands, rubbed his palms together then rubbed it all over Holly's back. Back at the beach party, it was Poppy who put the lotion on her sister's back but today he was the lucky guy who got to apply lotion on her. Holly's skin was so soft and smooth and he was getting a bit hot and not just from the sun.
"Oh, um, yeah," Holly moaned. "Gabriel, your hands feel so good."
Since their little 'meet-cute', the couple had gotten closer and while Holly still treated Gabe like a kid at times, she was also quite affectionate. Gabe was happy that she liked him like that. It showed that she didn't care if he looked like a little kid. It didn't keep his fangirls away, however, but they knew he was taken and respected their relationship enough to admire him from afar.
Tristan and Poppy watched while enjoying ice cream cones, the former amused while the latter raised an eyebrow.
"So, is your sister being sexy on purpose or does it come naturally?" Tristan asked.
"Princesses have a kind of natural charm," Poppy explained. "But I've never heard my sister make those noises before."
"Well, it's affecting Gabe," Tristan observed as Gabe blushed.
"Mission accomplished then," Poppy grinned. "So, up for a game of beach volleyball?"
"Sure," Tristan answered. "Let's go grab Rob and Nina so it's two on two."
"No Ben?" Poppy asked.
"Ben's a bit preoccupied right now. As for Briar," he looked to where the other couple were sitting, "...she's having her beauty sleep again."
(-)
Meeshell had taken Abyss with her to a grotto she had found. It was beautiful and a nice place for them to be alone together. While the mermaid was not as shy as before, there were just some things she wanted to do in private with her beloved shark knight.
"So beautiful," Abyss admired.
"I know. This grotto is so lovely," Meeshell agreed.
"I wasn't talking about the grotto." Abyss was gazing at Meeshell and the way her hair caught the light that came through the grotto. Meeshell beamed at the compliment, even if her cheeks turned as pink as her hair.
Ben was sweet and even with his lack of confidence sometimes could be brave, especially when fighting Mirror Monsters. It was only with her that he felt the most comfortable, besides his fellowship of the Round Table. She was also the first person in Ever After High who had the honor of hearing him sing. He had a beautiful singing voice but it took time and a lot of encouragement before he was convinced that was true. At least he was doing better now.
He could say the sweetest things, sing the loveliest ballads. He was also brave enough to allow himself to be filmed while singing. He was not quite ready to sing in public just yet but they were getting there. As he gained courage, so did Meeshell, the two of them hoping to sing a duette someday.
She caressed his face. Some might find his armor rather intimidating but not her. Still, she wanted to see his real face right now. Picking up the hint, Ben removed his Advent Deck which caused his armor to vanish. Smiling, Meeshell leaned forward to plant a soft kiss on his lips. Ben gently wrapped his arms around Meeshell, pulling her close, deepening the kiss. She did not resist, even as his hand brushed against the scales of her tail.
(-)
It was Poppy and Tristan against Nina and Rob in a game of beach volleyball. So far, Rob and Nina were leading by a couple of points. Rob was definitely the more athletic one compared to Tristan, managing to score points with ease. Nina was not half bad either as she could jump and spike the ball with incredible skill.
Meanwhile, through some miracle or magic, Gabe and Holly had built a sandcastle that was as big as a life-size house. It was actually pretty impressive. The two took a selfie in front of it and posted it on Fablebook for everyone to see.
As the sun began to set, casting the ocean in a soft orange glow, Ben and Meeshell finally returned to the beach. The two were practically glowing. Whatever they did, they obviously enjoyed themselves.
Harry had woken up Briar some time ago, the two of them enjoying a romantic walk along the beach. When the sun began to set, they curled up on a single beach chair just to enjoy it. For all her energy, Briar just wished to enjoy the scenery of the beach and maybe conserve her energy for any parties that might take place at night.
"We should grab some dinner. There's a seafood buffet with my name on it," Gabe yawned.
"Is that okay with you, Meeshell?" Rob asked. She was a mermaid and they did not want to offend her by eating seafood in front of her.
"Oh don't worry. Mermaids eat fish and other seafood all the time," Meeshell giggled.
"Oh, good," Rob said, relieved. He was thinking of how the Little Mermaid, Ariel, befriended all sea creatures and thought it was the same here.
"I am going to eat all the fried shrimp they've got!" Gabe declared.
"You really shouldn't, Gabriel. You'll make yourself sick," Holly advised.
"Fine, maybe just two servings, three tops," Gabe compromised.
Poppy giggled behind her hand. She whispered to Tristan, "As lovey-dovey as those two act together, they still end up looking like a big sister and her little brother when they get like this."
"Oh yeah," Tristan chuckled, watching Gabe pout as Holly gave him sisterly reminders not to overeat on a single kind of food.
"Then we're in luck!" Briar grinned, stifling a yawn as she and Harry got up. "The resort is hosting a sort of party cruise yacht party. Groups and such are invited to buffets, music, and dancing on a fleet of boats and even a large galleon for everyone to have a feel for the ocean."
"A galleon!? Like a pirate ship!?" Gabe's eyes brightened. He always wanted to be on a pirate ship.
"You bet," Briar nodded. "Every guest is invited. Party on the high seas anyone?"
"YEAH!"
Pearl Resort - Docks
After they went back to their hotel suite to get cleaned up for the party, the group went to the beachside docks where numerous yachts owned by the resort were set up for smaller parties or even a few couples who wanted a smaller get together. At the far end of the dock was a truly massive galleon, made to look exactly like how sailors from the age of exploration would make them. Of course, it had spotlights to illuminate it and music was booming. Three levels worth of floors made up the insides and the empty cannon ports showed bright lights and the shadows of people dancing.
"Oh yeah, this is my kind of scene," Briar grinned.
"Every party is your scene," Harry corrected.
"Hex, yeah," Briar laughed, not denying it.
"Wow!" Nina gasped, eyeing everything. "This is so cool!"
"I know," Rob nodded, looking at the numerous yachts. "So, are we going to the galleons or are we having a yacht to ourselves?"
"The galleon!" Gabe cheered.
"Of course the galleon," Briar grinned. "That's where the biggest party is. We'll take a yacht for dinner if we need it, but the buffet is supposed to be awesome."
"C'mon, Holly! Let's go to the galleon!" Gabe excitedly took Holly's hand.
"You really want to see a real pirate ship, huh, Gabriel?" Holly cooed at how adorable her boyfriend was.
"Don't you? Pirate ships are awesome! I wanna take so many pictures on one!"
"Then, how about we race onboard?" Holly challenged.
"Oh, you're on!"
"Come and catch me then!" Holly ran off toward the galleon.
"Hey, I wasn't ready! No fair!" Gabe went after her with Holly giggling the whole way.
"Where do they get their energy?" Harry wondered.
"Same place I do," Briar giggled. "Come on, there's plenty of fun to be had. Let's party!"
Briar wasn't wrong. The biggest party of all was taking place on the galleon with teens occupying the deck, mingling, and dancing. There was a bar that served non-alcoholic beverages, there was someone working on the barbeque, and there was also a long buffet table covered in delicious seafood.
That buffet table was the most beautiful thing Gabe had ever seen, besides Holly. He especially loved the sight of all the fried shrimp that he wanted to stuff his face with.
"Gabriel, I love this song!" Holly yelled. "Come, dance with me!"
Gabe looked at Holly then back at the buffet, then back at his girlfriend before he made his decision. The buffet was not going anywhere. It'd still be there after he danced with Holly.
"OK!"
Sitting on a chair, Meeshell hummed along to a slower song as Ben had gone to get them both something to drink. She had to admit she was having fun. Having Ben and her friends along really made it that much better. Her mother had been so right to have them come to enjoy spring break at the resort.
"Princess Meeshell, is that you?"
Meeshell blinked and turned to the voice. It came from a young man wearing a captain's coat with a white shirt, jeans, and boots. He had black hair, cut short but windswept with bright blue eyes. He was handsome, easily in the range of the Charming families. Many of the female party-goers were giving him flirty eyes in hopes of getting his attention.
"Yes," Meeshell confirmed. "I'm sorry, but do I know you?"
"Ah, not personally although we met by chance some time ago," the boy admitted. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Prince Eric Tidecharm."
Meeshell nodded, but was still on guard from her natural shyness, "And how did we meet exactly?"
"Surely you remember?" asked Eric. "I remember it vividly. I was on my family's merchant ship, learning the ways of the high seas. There was a sudden storm which took us by surprise and I was tossed overboard by the rocking waves. I remember seeing a girl's face with pink hair swim me up to the surface where I was fished out. I was told it was a mermaid who rescued me and my family saw it as a sign that I would take the role of the prince in The Little Mermaid." He finished by gently taking Meeshell's hand, "I was hoping I would get a chance to meet you, my princess."
Meeshell blinked, looking a little uncomfortable, "Um, that's nice and all Mr. Tidecharm, but, but I already have a boyfriend."
"So I've heard, but surely you can see the workings of our destiny?" Erik insisted, still holding Meeshell's hand. "It was you that rescued me so long ago in our childhoods."
Meeshell shook her head and took her hand back, "I'm sorry, but I only recently came up to dry land to go to Ever After High. The only people I've met from the surface are my father and his family. I'm flattered you think I'm the one who rescued you, but that wasn't me."
"But it must've been you. Please, remember," Erik urged but she quickly withdrew from him.
Meeshell began to shrink back, "I'm sorry, Mr. Tidecharm, but could you please leave me alone? You're making me uncomfortable."
That was when Ben returned with a couple of glasses of a tropical fruit smoothie.
"Meeshell, who is this?" Ben asked. "Is he bothering you?"
"Just meeting my princess, Sir Knight," Erik answered, "Destiny works in mysterious ways it seems."
Meeshell quickly got up from her seat and went to Ben's side, taking his arm, "He's just mistaken me for a mermaid who rescued him when he was little." Ben frowned slightly, seeing how Meeshell was clutching him tightly and seemed a little withdrawn.
"Well, that's nice. Are you the one he's talking about?" Ben asked, trying to be diplomatic.
"No," Meeshell shook her head. "Let's go find the others." She even gave gentle tugs on his arm, proving that she really didn't want to be near Erik. Nodding, Ben escorted Meeshell away immediately, leaving Erik to huff at his bad luck that night.
(-)
The five couples sat around a table with plates of seafood in front of them. Gabe had made good on his promise to grab all the fried shrimp he could eat.
"You sure you can eat all that, buddy?" Tristan asked. "You piled on a whole lot of them there."
"I worked up an appetite today," Gabe said, eyeing his meal. "And I heard this is gourmet level fried shrimp."
"It is," Meeshell confirmed. "They serve nothing but the freshest seafood at the Pearl Resort."
"Well, before we dig in, let's take a group selfie," Briar held up her phone. The group crowded together, flashing funny faces or peace signs before Briar took their picture. "And something to share with Fablebook for the others."
"Um..." Harry peered over to see Erik watching them. "Hey, is it just me or is that guy watching us?"
Meeshell whimpered and ducked her head as Ben frowned, shifting to sit closer to her. Tristan had to blink, not used to seeing Ben acting so aggressive unless a Mirror Monster was around, "Ben, you know that guy?"
"No, but he thinks Meeshell saved him as a kid," Ben answered with a frown. "Thinks he's going to be Meeshell's Prince Charming."
"You're my Prince Charming," Meeshell murmured, hugging Ben's arm.
"We better be careful while we're here. Sometimes, guys like them, they just can't take no for an answer," Tristan advised. That incident with Wise Knight was a perfect example of that.
"Maybe," Meeshell blushed. "Will it be OK if you stay with me tonight, Ben?"
"Yeah, of course, I will," Ben nodded, wrapping his arm protectively around her.
"Yeah, Ben can protect you all night long," Holly teased. "And that means I can cuddle with Gabriel all night long too like a big, snuggly teddy bear."
"Score!" Gabe pumped his fist.
"Just keep it PG," Harry muttered. He wasn't sure if chastity for maidens was still a requirement for the princesses. Still, considering fairy tales, Harry didn't want to risk it and suddenly find his friends in a shotgun wedding with angry royal parents watching them.
"C'mon, Harry. We may not have adult supervision but we can be responsible," Rob reassured him.
"Say that to my brother," Harry muttered under his breath. He knew Lance would try to go all the way with Apple White if she gave him the chance. His brother respected women enough to not pressure them. Their mother had fits over Lance's playboy ways when it came out he wasn't a virgin anymore.
"And what about you, Harry?" Briar said sultrily. "I mean, the way you were looking at me on the beach, you liked how I looked in my suit. I bet you'd want to explore that."
Harry trembled, blushing, "Are you sure you're not the temptress that Calibur Knight was raving about?"
Briar leaned in and blew into his ear, causing him to shudder.
"Briar, you are one naughty princess," Poppy giggled. "It's cruel to tease him like that."
"You only live once! YOLO!" Briar cheered. "Plus, I have to make sure I have my knight's locked down tight."
"Dude," Rob grinned at Harry.
"So, what? Are all the couples gonna be sleeping together?" Gabe asked excitedly. "Boys and girls sharing the same room, sharing the same bed?"
"Do you have to say it out loud?" Ben blushed slightly.
"Just asking," Gabe shrugged. "I mean, it's spring break right?"
"Exactly!" Rob agreed.
Harry sighed, "Whatever. Just...don't do anything Merlin will tease the hex out of us for back home. You know what a perv the old man can be."
Pearl Resort - Hotel Suite
The party did eventually wind down and the group returned to their shared penthouse. As per Meeshell's request, Ben did spend the night in her room. Ben felt, well, awkward in one sense since it was the closest he had ever gotten to Meeshell, spending the night with her. Feeling her snuggled up against him was the warmest, most intimate feeling in the world. It was easy to forget any arousal so he could just hug her back and make sure she slept feeling nothing but warmth and affection.
With such a romantic opportunity, the other couples didn't want to miss out either. It was the nature of teenagers, knowing they were unsupervised and being able to spend time with someone they had feelings for.
Poppy took Tristan to her room, although they weren't getting into the throes of passion. They kissed and cuddled, watching a late-night movie together. Of course, Poppy broke out into a fit of giggles when Tristan began doing another riff track rendition. It was just a comfortable and intimate evening for the two of them before they fell asleep.
Rob and Nina, being the friendly get-along types they were didn't jump for the chance to just get all handsy. They played a game or two, whacked each other with pillows, and just had generally amusing hijinks. Eventually, they turned in and Nina gave Rob a big kiss goodnight before she curled up against him. The handsy stuff could wait, they wanted to have some wholesome fun together before they got to that stage in their relationship.
Holly didn't waste the opportunity at all. Dragging Gabe into her room, she gave him all her passion and kissed him to near breathlessness. She loved having a little boyfriend to cuddle and kiss. Thronecoming was fun when he was taller than her, but she wouldn't trade her adorable little boyfriend for anything. Second Base was achieved and Gabe would sear the memory into his mind forever.
Briar, with her YOLO mindset and her own hormones churning from the perfect opportunity, all but pushed Harry into her room. She had a perfect setup and she intended to use it. Harry was taken aback by Briar's aggressive action, kissing him and all but insisting he put his hands on her in all the places he wanted, since she was going to do the same that night. When they fell asleep, Briar allowed Harry to see her in her lacy underwear, pink like her usual style, before she curled under the sheets with him. It left Harry wondering if what he experienced was why Lance became a playboy so early in life.
It was a truly perfect night for all the couples.
As the moon hung high into the air, the couples slept peacefully, warm, safe, and content in the arms of their loves. It was a vacation to remember, and they would gossip and/or brag to their friends on their return. It was the stuff legends of spring break were made of after all.
*Eeeeeeeee!*
Sadly, all legends had a dark side. The tone of the Mirror World sounded off, but the Riders were all in too much of a deep sleep to really hear it. Harry had been rendered comatose by his experience with Briar. Gabe mumbled, but Holly hugged him tighter to her chest. Tristan snorted and just shifted slightly. Ben merely squeezed Meeshell tighter while Rob rolled over, an arm across Nina's side.
Emerging from the glass window, the armored forms of Black Knights, mechanized drones of the Rogues, began to emerge. Five in total, they slowly stepped onto the floor with mechanical precision and surprisingly fluid grace.
One Black Knight stepped forward, a soft click coming from its torso before the others fell in line behind it. The five marched through the penthouse, stopping in front of a bedroom to crack open the door. Night vision helped them identify the occupants before moving on. Finally, they came to Ben and Meeshell's room. Identifying the pair, the machine soldiers quietly entered.
In the bed, Ben had his arm wrapped around Meeshell as she snuggled comfortably into his embrace. Due to his size, Meeshell looked positively small in his arms where she felt safe. Seeing their target, they executed their order. Carefully, they extricated Meeshell from Ben's arms. As a heavy sleeper, the Shark Knight did not notice. Unfortunately, for the Black Knight, once Meeshell was removed from the warm and protective embrace of her knight, she began to stir and awaken.
Her vision was blurry but soon focused as she saw Ben lying in bed. That was not the only thing she noticed as she saw the Black Knights surrounding their bed.
She reacted to the scene in the most sensible way.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
The Black Knight holding Meeshell immediately clamped her mouth shut with its hand but it was already too late as Ben was woken up by Meeshell's scream.
"Meeshell!" Ben jumped out of bed as he saw a Black Knight holding Meeshell. The other Black Knights quickly grabbed Ben and he struggled to break out of their grip as the Black Knight holding the mermaid princess dragged her to the dressing table's mirror. Ben watched in horror as they both entered the Mirror World.
With a roar of fury, Ben threw the Black Knights holding him against the wall, breaking free. While they were stunned, he grabbed his Advent Deck that was on the nightstand and raised it to his reflection. As the Black Knights rose to their feet, his V-Buckle appeared and he slid his deck inside.
"Henshin!"
Images of his armor folded over his body before his suit completely formed and filled with color. A Black Knight lunged at him but he sent it flying into the door with a punch, breaking it off its hinges. He turned to follow Meeshell and her captor but the other Black Knights blocked his path and moved to restrain him.
If these Black Knights had any fear, they should have realized it was not a good idea to get in the way of an angry shark.
(-)
Gabe got up to use the bathroom. Then he got thirsty and stepped out of his and Holly's room to grab a glass of water. Once he stepped out, he heard a commotion coming from Ben's room. Now, in his half-asleep state, he would have assumed that Ben and Meeshell were getting busy. He mentally gave them congratulations and moved to go back to bed with Holly.
That was when Ben's door exploded off the hinges and someone in black armor hit the floor in a heap.
"HOLY SHOOT!" Gabe shouted in shock, eliciting groans and grunts from the other rooms.
"Who's making that noise...?" Rob muttered, annoyed as he poked his head out of his and Nina's room. He spied the rising Black Knight and the fight spilling out of Ben's room. "WOAH!"
"Guys! Grab your decks! We're under attack!" Gabe shouted as he darted back into his and Holly's room to grab his Advent Deck.
(-)
The blade of Abyss' Abyss Saber went right through a Black Knight's chest. It twitched and spasmed before shutting down and he withdrew his sword. He turned a bloodthirsty gaze on the other Black Knights who tried to take him down but he roared and swung his swords, slicing their heads clean off. The last one was standing in the doorway and Abyss got ready to take it out as well when he saw the golden spike jutting out its chest. Gai stood behind the Black Knight and withdrew his Metal Horn, allowing the Black Knight to drop. To make sure it stayed down, he crushed its head under his boot.
"Ben!" Gai yelled as he came in, followed by Zolda, Scissors and Raia. Behind them, their girlfriends were in their pajamas, or hiding behind bundled sheets and were clearly scared, "What's going on?"
"Meeshell was kidnapped!" Abyss answered before he jumped into the mirror to pursue the kidnapper.
"Follow him!" Scissors ordered as he jumped in after Abyss.
"Block all the mirrors! Cover everything reflective!" Raia instructed Briar and the girls before he too dove into the glass.
"What's going on?" Nina asked, still half-asleep.
"We'll explain later!" Zolda answered before he and Gai followed their friends.
Pearl Resort - Docks
Meeshell trembled fiercely as the Black Knight pulled her out of the prismatic tunnel and onto a wooden galleon. It took her a moment before she realized she was back on the boat that the resort had chartered for their special party.
"W-why have you taken me here?" she questioned in fright.
"Retrieval," the Black Knight replied, it's mechanical voice a metallic drone.
"Retrieval?" Meeshell repeated, confused. "For whom?"
"Welcome, Princess Meeshell. I apologize for the rough treatment but I had to bring you here where it was safe, immediately," spoke a Rogue Knight as he revealed himself.
He had the same base design as the Knights and Rogues. A bodysuit with silver bracers and greaves, although the insides were a brass/gold color. His bodysuit was black, but under his armor, he wore what seemed like a navy blue and brass admiral's coat. His torso armor built on the trend, being blue with brass lapels which had bolts on them with silver bands in the middle. The shoulder armor rose up, shaped like arrowheads or the tips of squid tentacles with sockets in them.
His moutplate was silver with brass edges and his visor took up most of the face, being simple and less ornate like some Rogues. The top of his helm was blue and shaped like a pirate captain's hat with a gold squid insignia, like the one on his navy blue Advent Deck. Attached to his right arm was a clawed gauntlet shaped like a navy blue squid with brass fins and its tentacles acting as the blades.
"S-safe?" Meeshell blinked. "What in Neptune's name are you talking about?"
"Your beloved shark knight is nothing more than a servant of the Sea Witch sent to seduce you and keep you away from your one true Prince Charming," the Rogue Knight claimed. "Once I learned of this, I knew I must rescue you. I apologize for bringing you here like this, but I was afraid you'd resist and alert him."
"What? That's ridiculous!" Meeshell cried. "Ben has never even met the Sea Witch! He's a Knight of the Round Table! He would never serve her!"
"Ah, you would think so, but his Rebel nature proves he isn't likely to follow in his ancestor's footsteps," the Rogue shook his head. "And I apologize for breaking your heart, princess, but I do have concrete evidence that he is merely using you to claim your kingdom."
Meeshell frowned, almost scowled, despite the Black Knight's grip on her.
"You say evidence, but I know it is merely baseless lies and convenient deceptions!"
The Rogue shook his head and gave a whistle. From some polished brass which decorated the ship, another Black Knight appeared holding a crystal ball.
"I was afraid it would come to this. Allow me to present you the proof of his deception."
The Black Knight stepped closer to Meeshell and showed her the crystal ball which sparked to life. Inside, Meeshell saw the form of the Sea Witch. No one could mistake her with her long, tangled black hair, her barnacle earrings, or her merfolk tail covered in crab shells instead of regular fish scales. She was swimming around Abyss and the pair were talking. Abyss was showing none of his usual reservations and even laughed at something with the Sea Witch. Soon, the Sea Witch presented him with a scroll that he signed and the two seemed to conclude with their business before the image faded.
"You see, Princess?" asked the Rogue. "He made a deal with the witch, likely for your voice, all for his personal gain! He's using you!"
Meeshell scowled, "I find your evidence...lacking."
"Wh-what?" the Rogue gasped. "You...you still...after seeing that proof?!"
Meeshell huffed, "It is awfully convenient that such a clear image could be captured so close to the witch when she likely would have sensed it. Mother has warned me of her for years. I know how powerful she is! She would have sensed the other crystal ball easily at that range. Likely, she knew and was putting on a show for this so-called evidence!" Meeshell huffed like she just tasted something foul. "Furthermore, my true Prince Charming's armor is the beautiful blue of the ocean. The one in that image has a green suit! That evidence is false!"
"So, you truly have been charmed by him that you refuse to see the truth," the Rogue Knight frowned. "But do not fear for I, the Marine Knight, will help you see the truth."
"Ben will come for me," Meeshell warned.
"I doubt that and if he does I have an army," Marine Knight boasted.
*Eeeeeee!*
"What?!" Marine Knight gasped, spinning around. From the brass fixtures, Abyss emerged before he landed on the deck with his swords, coming to Meeshell's rescue.
"Meeshell!" Abyss yelled as he saw his girlfriend being held by a Black Knight. "Let her go!"
"Ah, the servant of the Sea Witch has arrived," Marine Knight seemed positively gleeful. Perhaps surprised he showed up so suddenly, but gleeful. "Now I can show Princess Meeshell your true colors!" The tone rang again as Gai, Zolda, Raia, and Scissors emerged behind their friend, their own weapons at the ready. Their gazes landed on Marine Knight and they all grew tense. The Rogue had to shake his head. "How in the world did you all know to come here?"
"Our horses are handy that way," Raia answered. "We figured you had more of your wind-up toys and just instructed our steeds to find the greatest disturbance in the Mirror World. Your toys were all holed up here."
"Ah, a misstep," Marine Knight nodded. "Well, no use in hiding them anymore." He gave a sharp whistle into the night air.
Black Knights swarmed the deck, facing off against the Knights of the Round. There were ten in total, all of them looking ready to fight.
Gai snickered and cracked his knuckles, "Just ten?"
All ten of the Black Knights drew cards from their belts before slashing them through their Visors before they vanished in bursts of blue fire.
[Advent!}
From the brass fixtures on the boats, ten Mirror Monsters emerged. All of them were pitch black with bronze adornments, having the same body shapes as Buzzstingers. Small spines grew from their arms and their shoulder armor looked like engine pieces. Their heads were a near featureless silver sphere with holes, connected to their bodies with cables. These were the Black Knights' mass-produced contracts, the Psychorogues.
"Ben, we've got this," Zolda said as he took his Magna Visor off his belt.
"You deal with the boss," Gai added, running his hand over his Metal Horn's horn.
"OK, we need a plan and-" Raia started.
"LEEEROOOOOY JENKIIIIIIIINS!" Gai screamed as he charged at the army. The others screamed too as they followed.
"Seriously, you guys!? Oh, whatever!" Raia followed with a battlecry as he summoned his weapon.
[Swing Vent!]
The Black knights likewise charged at the group of five along with their contracts.
While his friends were dealing with the henchmen, Abyss approached Marine Knight. Meeshell noticed something different about her boyfriend and it was frightening. He was like a predator slowly stalking its prey. His visor kept sparking between its normal black, and a deep blue, usually in tune with his anger.
"Let go of Meeshell or I'll kill you," Abyss growled, pointing his sword at Marine Knight.
"Threats of death? Unbecoming of a knight!" Marine Knight snorted. He drew a card from his belt. Pulling the arrowhead top of his gauntlet, he revealed the card reader. Dropping the card inside, he slammed the chamber shut.
[Strike Vent!]
From the brass, a trident flew out, elegantly curved with a squid-head counterweight. This was his Kraken Trident, the normal weapon of a Wiskraken.
"I'm not the one who kidnapped someone's girlfriend," Abyss retorted.
"I am merely rescuing her from your two-faced clutches," Marine Knight retorted.
"And I'm rescuing her from your delusional ones," Abyss responded and then he roared, charging straight at Marine Knight. The Rogue brandished his Kraken Trident and swung, sparks flying as their weapons clashed violently. Abyss stepped back as Marine Knight thrust at him, hitting him in the chest but he stood his ground and swung his swords down only to be blocked by the trident's shaft. Spinning his weapon, he pushed Abyss back and swung repeatedly, raining blows down on the Shark Knight. As they locked weapons, Abyss kicked Marine Knight in the stomach, knocking him back.
Abyss discarded his right sword and drew a card from his belt before feeding it into his Abyss Visor.
[Strike Vent!]
The card summoned his Abyssmash, a gauntlet derived from Abysslasher's head. Aiming it at Marine Knight, he fired a concentrated blast of high-pressured water which surged straight at him. Marine Knight saw it coming and acted fast.
[Guard Vent!]
A pair of shields, styled like a Kraken's chest, one with a red V and the other with a purple one, appeared in Marine Knight's hands. He held them up to protect himself but was still blasted off his feet by the force of the water. With the shields absorbing the blast though, his arms were a little sore instead of experiencing the pain a direct hit would have done.
"Expected of the giant of the Round Table," Marine Knight grunted. Tossing his shields away, he drew another card and dropped it into his Marine Visor.
[Advent!]
Once more, the brass fittings on the ship rippled before two more monsters emerged from the Mirror World. These were the two breeds of Kraken-types, the Wiskraken and Bakraken. The monsters had barrel bodies and tentacle ornaments on their heads and suction cup armguards. The Wiskraken was armed with a trident and a red chest while the Bakraken was armed with a tentacle whip and sported a purple chest.
"Keelhaul him!" Marine Knight shouted, sending the two Krakens roaring at Abyss.
"I can do that too!" Abyss tossed his gauntlet before feeding another card into his Abyss Visor.
[Advent!]
A roar summoned Abysslasher and Abysshammer, both monsters crashing into their Kraken counterparts with the sounds of their weapons clashing against one another.
"Last chance! Let Meeshell go!" Abyss roared over the sounds of battle around them.
"I will not stand idle as you and that Sea Witch try to steal my destiny and future princess!" Marine Knight snarled as he glared at Abyss. Behind him, Meeshell kept trying to escape the Black Knight, but its grip was like iron clamps.
"Screw destiny!" Abyss snarled back. "Meeshell is my princess and I will not give her up for anything! Not a fortune, not a kingdom, not even destiny! Especially not to some jerk who can't tell the difference between one mermaid and the next!"
"It was her! I recognize her soft pink hair anywhere! We are meant to be! Her as the Little Mermaid and me as her prince!" Marine Knight shouted back. "You and the Sea Witch will not stop this!"
"I've never even met the Sea Witch!" Abyss shouted back. "And even if I did, there's no way I'd ever work for her when she wants to steal Meeshell's voice!" That was true. Meeshell told him about how her mother's story went. When her father, King Phillip, agreed to return to the ocean with Queen Pearl, it broke the spell and returned the queen's voice, ruining the Sea Witch's plot. It was a known fact she was waiting for Meeshell's tale to begin so she could take her voice.
"Lies! I was shown the truth!" Marine Knight roared. "You conspire with the hag to steal Meeshell's voice and kingdom! I will not allow it!" He drew a card from his belt and fed it into the mouth of his Marine Visor.
[Final Vent!]
Wiskraken and Bakraken both stiffened before they jumped off the side of the ship. Vanishing from view for a moment, there was an explosion of water in the sea. Rising up was a massive blue/purple squid with trident-tipped tentacles and heterochromatic eyes, one red and one purple. Its body was biomechanical, showing elements of both monsters used to create it.
"Behold, Darkraken! My champion of the deep!" Marine Knight declared.
"You're not the only one with the same trick," Abyss countered as he fed his own card into his Abyss Visor.
[Final Vent!]
Abysslasher and Abysshammer both jumped overboard only to emerge from the ocean as the combined monster, Abyssodon. The giant shark snapped its jaws before extending its sword nose and machine gun eyes, daring Darkraken to try something.
The biomechanical squid roared and began launching its tentacles at Abyssodon. The massive shark snapped and began gliding through the air, sawing or shooting at any tentacles which came close.
Beneath them, Abyss and Marine Knight charged at one another, swinging their weapons at one another, kicking, and punching to try and bring the other down. With Abyssodon and Darkraken fighting each other, neither could complete their Final Vent attacks. It would come down to which monster could get to its contractor first and which one would remain standing for that attack to connect.
[Strike Vent!]
[Sword Vent!]
Both their weapons came back to their arms and they clashed with one another in hails of sparks.
In other parts of the ship, the other Knights were fighting off the Black Knights and their Psychorogues. Gai was bashing them aside, able to tank their hits before stabbing at them with his Metal Horn. With enough strength, he was able to pierce their armor. With the right strikes, the Black Knights began to short out or go wild, attacking anything which moved. It didn't stop the Psychorogues from continuing their assault, however.
Zolda had summoned his Giga Cannons and was blasting at the groupings of enemies. He was taking careful aim, making sure he didn't blow holes in the galleon by accident. Watching his back was Scissors with his Scissors Pinch, bashing anything that got near them.
"Harry wasn't kidding! These things are tough!" Scissors grunted, bashing one Black Knight across the face, breaking the visor but little else. It just revealed the mechanical face underneath, proving the Black Knights truly were nothing more than machines.
"I know!" Zolda grunted, blasting another Black Knight and Psychorogue.
Raia cracked his Evil Whip, catching one Psychorogue across the abdomen, making it flinch before he smashed it with his copy of Gai's Metal Horn, knocking it back.
"How are they able to get so many copies of the same monster?" he wondered. He hadn't seen such a grouping of a common breed since the Shereghost Attack.
"Cloning?" Gai suggested. "They captured a spawner? Who cares! Just trash them now! We save Meeshell and get some XP for our monsters!" He drew a card and tossed it into his Metal Visor before sliding it shut.
[Final Vent!]
"Right, let's take them out!" Scissors agreed as he slid his card into his Scissors Visor and closed it up.
[Final Vent!]
"Time for a wipeout," Raia concluded as he closed his Visor over his own card.
[Final Vent!]
Volcancer, Evildiver and Metalgelas appeared to join their masters in executing their Final Vents.
[Shoot Vent!]
Instead of executing his Final Vent, Zolda summoned his Giga Launcher to replace his Giga Cannons. As his friends delivered their finishing moves, he fired a shell at the Black Knights and Psychorogues, blowing them all to smithereens.
Back to the battle between Abyss and Marine Knight, the Rogue managed to disarm the Shark Knight and bring him to his knees. He thrust with his trident, forcing Abyss to catch the weapon or take a blow to the neck. His strength managed to push it back a little, but not away. Above, Abyssodon became entangled in Darkraken's tentacles, pinned and snapping at the biomechanical coils.
"Once I defeat you, I will claim Princess Meeshell and her heart, just as destiny foretold," Marine Knight boasted. "She will be mine as is my right!"
"SHE IS NOT A PRIZE!" Abyss roared, slamming his Abyss Visor down on Marine Knight's trident, shattering it before slugging the Rogue Knight across the face.
Abyssodon's eyes flashed and it roared, unleashing a barrage of bullets into Darkraken, making it shriek and release the shark. The barrage continued before clashing down across the squid's body. It shrieked and began to fall from the air.
Abyss let off another roar before he jumped up and punched down into the gash Abyssodon left, burying his Abyss Visor in the wound. Darkraken bellowed before the wound lit up like a beacon and the monster exploded in a fiery blast. The shockwave echoed from the source, nearly knocking Abyss and Marine Knight off their feet. The Black Knight holding Meeshell did fall, releasing the mermaid as its head cracked on an anchor chain, temporarily scrambling its systems.
"Ben!" Meeshell cried out.
"No!" Marine Knight roared.
Abyss dropped from the fire, landing on the deck feet first. Marine Knight looked like he was going to speak, but then seemed to sag and lose strength in his limbs. The squid emblem on his deck faded and like a cloud of dust, all the ornamentation on his suit faded away, leaving a gray and bland suit behind. Without his contract, his source of power was gone.
"Wh-what?" the Rogue Knight gasped, looking at his now dull suit.
Abyss himself took almost snarling breaths as his helmet's visor lit up the same deep blue as Abyssodon's skin. Breaking into a run, he clotheslined Marine Knight and knocked him to the floor. After that, he picked up the Rogue Knight by his neck and pointed his Abyss Visor point-blank to his face with the mouth glowing, ready to fire.
"Ben, no!" Meeshell protested, running to Abyss's side and grabbing his arm. "Please, don't do it!"
"You want to save him?" Abyss growled, turning his azure gaze to her. To others, it would feel like being glared at by an angry shark, but Meeshell felt no fear in that gaze.
"No, I'm trying to save you! You're not a killer! Don't become one because of him!"
Abyss stared deeply into Meeshell's eyes for several moments, huffing like an angry beast. After a short eternity, the light in Abyss' visor dulled. Above, Abyssodon let off a growl before snapping up Darkraken's life energy and diving back to the Mirror World. Abyss sighed and dropped the Rogue to the ground. He instead grabbed the blank, gray, Advent Deck and pulled it out from the V-Buckle. The armor shattered, revealing the groaning form of Erik Tidecharm.
"So it was him," Abyss huffed. "Figures."
"You...monster," Erik spat.
"I'm not the one who kidnaps innocent girls pretending to love them," Abyss spat back. He then very obviously snubbed Erik to check on Meeshell, "Are you okay? He didn't hurt you, did he?"
Meeshell smiled, happy to hear the gentle voice of her Prince Charming again. She hugged him tightly, "I'm just fine, thanks to my brave Shark Knight."
Erik managed to climb back to his feet. If nothing else, his willpower forced him up as he saw who he thought was his princess in the arms of another man.
"I won't surrender her to you," Erik said, stepping forward despite the pain in his body.
"Actually, you won't be doing anything but answer a few questions," Raia said as he held his MirrorPhone. "I just called the cops. They're on their way here now."
"I don't think your Tidecharm family will be happy to hear what you've been up to," Scissors snickered, arms crossed. "I hear you're related to the Charmings after all."
"Oh, and then there's Meeshell's mom," Gai added. "Wonder what she'll do when she finds out you tried to kidnap her daughter?"
"Now, how about you tell us how you got your deck?" Zolda pointed his gun at Erik.
The Tidecharm scion looked around and saw that he was surrounded, with no way to escape. He looked over his shoulder, down at the water below.
"Don't even think about jumping," Abyss warned. "There are sharks in the water."
"A White Knight gave it to me and the evidence of Abyss' lies!" Erik grimaced as he confessed.
Raia tilted his head, "A white knight?"
(-)
Sirens blared as the local police knights came to the scene in carriages and on horseback. The uniformed officers climbed on board and found the Knights of the Round Table holding the suspect. Princess Meeshell Mermaid was being held by the blue Shark Knight who comforted her.
"We were called about a kidnapping?" one of the police knights asked.
"He's the one you want, officer," Meeshell pointed at Erik.
"I was merely coming to her rescue!" Erik insisted. "She's been enchanted!"
"I most certainly have been not!" Meeshell retorted. She looked to the law officers, "You may even have wizards examine me. The only enchantment I am under is to give me my legs."
The officer nodded, "We will have to check that, Princess, but if you're willing to have us examine you, you likely aren't. Who are these other knights?"
"We're Sirs Raia, Zolda, Gai, Scissors, and Abyss," Raia stepped forward. "We're the next generation Knights of the Round Table. We were on vacation with Meeshell and our friends when she was kidnapped and we pursued to rescue her."
"Wow," the police knight blinked. "Well, we will need to take statements from all of you. Hopefully, we can clear this all up quickly."
"Please," Gai sighed. "I'm losing cuddle time with my princess."
Pearl Resort - Penthouse
The Knights took off their armor and gave their statements while Erik was handcuffed and shoved into a police carriage to be taken to the station. All of them had to give statements as to their actions and what exactly happened. They had to explain the Mirror Monsters but gave Merlin's contact information to help explain them in greater detail. Meeshell, of course, had trained wizards examine her, proving she had no enchantments on her besides the one which allowed her to walk on land. The process did not take nearly as long as everyone feared, but it was still the wee hours of the morning when the police knights returned them to the resort.
When they came through the door, they found themselves engulfed by four more happy princesses, relieved to see everyone back safe and sound.
"Oh Meeshell, are you okay?" Holly asked, hugging her BFFA. "Did those black knights hurt you?"
"No, no, they were being controlled by that Tidecharm fellow as a Rogue Knight," Meeshell explained. "He thought to deceive me into believing he was my prince. He tried to fool me with false evidence about Ben, but it was poorly made."
"Did you guys give him a good pounding ?" asked Nina.
"Sure did," Rob grinned, but let off a yawn.
"Actually, it was Ben who gave him a beating. We just took on the Black Knights," Harry corrected.
"Is there still time for some sleep and cuddles?" asked Gabe, rubbing his eyes. "I'm exhausted."
"Well…" Poppy grimaced. "Our checkout time is later in the afternoon since we're meeting Queen Pearl for lunch. We can just sleep on the bus on our way back."
"Um, what about the damage?" asked Harry, pointing to the door to Ben's room which got smashed in the kidnapping.
"Well, we called Meeshell's mom and told her what happened," Briar admitted. "Apparently the police knights already told her. She told us you got the guy and she'd pay for the damage to the room. Did you know she owns this place?"
"Figured with the name," Harry yawned. "Okay, then let's get some shuteye before we meet the queen. "
"Let's just remember to drink coffee before lunch," Tristan reminded.
"Amen," Gabe agreed.
Pearl Resort - Dining Room
Queen Pearl came to the resort in the afternoon to have lunch with her daughter and her friends. She had arrived incognito to keep reporters or other spellebrity hunters off her tail. She wished to spend time with her daughter, speak with her boyfriend, and meet the little circle of friends they had. Sadly, it fell to the wayside as she was arriving. She had learned about Erik's kidnapping attempt from the police and was relieved to hear that her daughter was safe thanks to Ben and the other Knights of the Round Table.
"My goodness, he actually did all this because he believes he's destined to be Meeshell's Prince Charming?" Queen Pearl asked, placing a hand on her cheek in surprise. "He even believed Sir Ben was working for the Sea Witch?"
"Yes, it sounds crazy but he actually believed it," Meeshell confirmed. "Someone must've fabricated the evidence and he wished to believe it despite the flaws in it."
"Sounds like a stalker," Tristan remarked, half asleep in his chair.
"No doubt," Poppy agreed.
"What will happen to him? Will he be punished?" Ben asked.
"Well, he will likely be held by his family. I will personally speak to him about his actions," Queen Pearl said. "And Sir Ben, thank you for coming to my daughter's rescue. I owe you a debt."
"There's no need to thank me, Your Majesty. I only did what came naturally to me," Ben said humbly.
"I'm still sorry that your vacation was soured by this experience," Queen Pearl said regretfully. "How about, the next school break, you come and visit my kingdom?"
"Oh, that sounds marvelous. I can show you my home, Ben," Meeshell smiled. "Wouldn't you like that?"
"I would," Ben accepted. He was curious about Meeshell's home and what it might be like. There was no way he'd turn down the chance to see it.
"Then we'll make arrangements for your visit," Queen Pearl said with a smile.
"Wait, Your Majesty, your kingdom is under the sea, right? How can Ben go there and not drown?" Gabe asked.
"Just like we have an enchantment that allows myself and my daughter to walk on land, we have an enchantment that can turn Ben into a merman," Queen Pearl answered.
The four knights imagined Abyss with a shark's tail instead of legs. They could not agree if that was awesome or goofy.
Bus - En route to Book End
The trip back to Book End was much more silent than the trip to the resort. All of the bunk beds were occupied this time as the ones using them were catching up on the sleep they missed because of Marine Knight. Poppy and Tristain caught up on their sleep, spooned together. Holly held Gabe close, letting him sleep on top of her, using her chest as a pillow. Rob and Nina were cuddled together, although splayed out and snoring softly. Meeshell was burrowed as deeply as she could into Ben's side so he could hold her close. Briar was likewise snoring softly, deep in sleep as she clutched Harry close. As for Harry himself…
MagiMari4Ever: A white knight passed this guy his deck?
StingrayRider05: So he said.
MagiMari4Ever: Well, it's a clue in any case. Did you save the deck?
StingrayRider05: Safe in my bag. Why? Considering handing it out like the Falco deck?
MagiMari4Ever: Possibly. Need all the help we can get. Nightwise isn't getting any easier to feed either.
Harry sighed and put away his phone. Since getting the Wise Knight deck, Merlin had been feeding Nightwise pure magic to keep it satisfied. It was a temporary solution since to the monsters, it was like eating tofu. It filled you up, but it wasn't as satisfying. Eventually, Nightwise was going to get fed up and go hunting. Then they would have no choice but put the beast down.
'The problem is finding capable people who won't get drunk on the power of the suits,' Harry mentally sighed as he rested his arm over Briar's shoulders. The princess mumbled with a smile and squeezed him before going still.
Finding people they could trust not to grow arrogant with the power wasn't as hard as it sounded. Lots of fairy tales strove to be heroes and actually had the morals to go with it. Even Daring, as vain as he was, proved he had the makings of a fine prince once he put his hand mirrors down. The problem was finding those who could actually be capable of fighting the monsters. Hunter had the advantage since he was trained to hunt animals, especially magical ones like Big Bad Wolves. How many of the others could do the same? Sure, they had classes to fight dragons and the like, but it was treated as a class by many, not something too serious.
But, now that Harry thought about it, he remembered being inexperienced himself when Merlin gave them all their decks. They only managed to get this good through gaining experience from their battle with Mirror Monsters. They still needed to train to sharpen their skills and improve their strategies. Maybe Merlin did know how to pick wielders if some kids he picked up from Earth could fight so well even without any prior formal training.
'I'm thinking too hard,' Harry sighed, setting in so he could sleep. 'Just enjoy having Briar like this and relax.'
His soft snores joined Briar's not long after.
Sheesh, can't our cute couples go anywhere without a Rogue Knight or Mirror Monster showing up?
It seems they do get the short end of the straw with that. But, they do have a clue to someone passing the decks around now.
A White Knight? How horrible. An example of what knights should look like being the one to pass out false knighthood to selfish individuals?
You said it, Mom.
A/N: And now we have a bit of a lead on who is passing out the Advent Decks to the Rogues. It's only a small lead, but it's better than what they had. Some slice of life for the Knights who attended, although Marine Knight had to ruin that. They just can't catch a break, can they?
On another note, a fan of the story started a TV Tropes page. Whoever they are, thanks! There is only one entry so far, but hopefully other fans will like to add some tropes of their own.