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 30: Dexter's Stand
Ever After High is filled with all sorts of unique characters and their individual stories could make up quite the book if put together.
Today, though, we are going to focus on one of the less outgoing ones. Humble Dexterous Charming, the younger brother of Daring Charming.
Ah, he's the cuter one if you ask me.
Book End Library
Dexter Charming was currently at the public library just looking for a place to hang out and get some reading done. Yarns and Noble was unusually full today and most of the books in the school library were for research purposes. The public library had more casual books to read and since Cupid had after school activities, he needed something to pass the time for the afternoon.
A few of the Knights of the Round Table were working that day too. Harry was at the front desk, handling book returns. Next to him, Lance gave his best customer service smile as he handed over a book to a girl who was checking it out that day.
"Remember, you only get to keep that book for two weeks," Lance told the girl, who giggled as she walked away, exiting the library.
Meanwhile, Kevin was putting books that were returned or left on the table back on the shelves. He climbed down the ladder after putting back a particularly heavy book on one of the high shelves. Once his cart was empty, he wheeled it back to the front desk to pick up more books that were returned that day.
Watching them work in the library, it was hard to imagine these were the heroic Knights of the Round Table, but here they were. Like a lot of teens, they had part-time jobs. They also worked in shifts, which explained why not all of them were working that day.
Dexter went between the stacks when he kicked something on the floor.
"Hm? What?" Dexter looked at what he just kicked and found a plastic case for a deck of cards. It was purple with an owl emblem on the front. Blinking, he picked it up, "Huh, wonder who dropped this?" As he was about to turn it over to the front desk, his MirrorPhone buzzed. Taking it out of his pocket, he saw that the hext was from Cupid.
'Dexie, meet me at Hocus Latte. XOXO'
Dexter smiled, all thoughts of returning the deck case vanishing as he put it away in his pocket and stepped out of the library to meet his girlfriend. He walked by Arthur who was just coming back.
"Hey, Dexter," Arthur greeted.
"Hey, Arthur," Dexter smiled.
"You look like you're in a hurry."
Dexter grinned almost goofily, "Cupid sent me a hext to meet her at Hocus Latte."
Arthur nodded knowingly, himself having done the same when Raven said she was free, "Say hi to her for me."
Dexter used to be jealous of Arthur for being Raven Queen's boyfriend but that was a long time ago. Seeing your first crush with another guy tended to make someone feel that way. Now that he was dating Cupid, he couldn't be happier. He felt like he really could be friends with Arthur and the others now that the shadow of his disappointment and jealousy was no longer hanging over him.
Meanwhile, Merlin was in his office and he was looking for something.
"Where is it? Where is it? I know I left it right here," Merlin frantically searched around his office, checking his drawers and looking under his desk and chairs. He even looked under his stack of papers to find what he was looking for, only to fail.
"Hey, Merlin," Arthur returned to the library after dealing with another Mirror Monster that had appeared at the Golden Goose. "What are you looking for?"
Merlin gulped as he looked to Arthur.
"Uh, we might have a problem," Merlin said, cold sweat breaking out all over his forehead.
"What did you do?" Arthur asked in an exasperated tone.
Merlin twiddled his fingers, trying to look innocent, "I may have, possibly, accidentally, misplaced the Wise Knight deck."
Arthur's jaw dropped, "You lost it!?"
"Misplaced! I misplaced it! All I know it's in here, somewhere," Merlin helplessly defended himself. "I think."
Closing his eyes, Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose, took deep breaths, and counted backwards from 10 to calm himself down. An Advent Deck was dangerous in the wrong hands and even more so in the hands of someone who did not know what they were doing.
"OK, if you misplaced it, then you probably dropped it somewhere in the library," Arthur suggested calmly. "Have you tried retracing your steps?"
"Duh! I've walked all over the library looking for it!" Merlin said in exasperation. "The only thing I can think of is...oh shoot…"
"What?" asked Arthur.
"...someone picked it up."
Mirror World - Book End
Nightwise waited, crouched on its perch as it watched the one holding its contract walking down the streets in the Otherworld. Nightwise was somewhat hungry. The nuggets from the white human kept the hunger at bay, but they did not satisfy it. Nightwise was growing impatient, but so long as it was fed, it could be content.
This new potential holder may be able to feed it better. To make the contract, the wielder would have to activate it first. Again, that was fine with Nightwise. All it had to do was wait. Either the white human would give it another nugget, the blue human would take up the contract, or Nightwise could go and devour the defaulter.
Nightwise would win in every way no matter what.
Hocus Latte
Cupid sat a table in the coffee shop while looking through photos on her laptop. Once upon a time, the pictures used to be candid shots where she would scrub out everyone's faces, leaving only her and Dexter's. Instead, the pictures on her screen were of that magical ski trip she went on with Dexter and his family.
Cupid made sure to spend as much time as possible, alone with Dexter. There was a picture of them building a snowman, another picture of them going ice skating, a picture of them drinking hot cocoa by the fire. Each and every moment, so precious, so romantic.
She could only sigh. It was a sigh that was partially happy since they had such a wonderful time together. It was partially melancholy since the time was over and they had to go back to their day to day lives. Well, it would just make the next event all the sweeter.
"Hey, Cupid," Dexter said as he came to her table.
"Hey, Dexie," Cupid smiled, fluttering her eyelashes at him. "Sorry I took so long. Getting ready for my next show sometimes takes up a lot of time, especially when I do a special."
"Hey, it's okay. I get all that," Dexter shrugged and took a seat. He knew all about the technical aspects of MirrorCasts. He helped Blondie all the time with hers.
Dexter Charming, her boyfriend (just calling him that made her heart flutter), was just so cute. In her opinion, he was way more charming than Daring in his own Dexter way. Sometimes she found it hard to believe that they were actually dating, that she had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't having another one of her dreams or even daydreams. Yet, each time she found it was very real and she was dating her crush.
She learned, from Dexter, that it was Harry that helped convince Dexter to make a move. If Harry wasn't already dating Briar, well, Cupid would've tried to play matchmaker already. He was such a good friend and she was grateful for his help. Who would think the pink Stingray Knight would become Cupid's own personal cupid?
"You know, if you want, you could come onto my show as a special guest," Cupid offered.
"Oh, you mean on camera?" Dexter asked. "I don't know how much help I'll be. I mean, you're the love expert."
"Oh, it'll just be us talking about our dates, that's all," Cupid explained. She might have been Ever After High's resident expert of love but her own love life had been abysmal until True Hearts Day. "The idea is to show that dates and relationships don't have to be big events to try and make someone swoon. Although, a date that's done right sure helps."
Dexter chuckled as they talked details about her show. After they got their drinks, they talked about whatever subject came to mind. This was how most of their dates went, with pleasant conversation and they could just talk about nothing for hours. It was just nice and there was no pressure for them to get too intimate. They could be intimate in private and Cupid could be very romantic when she was alone with Dexter, like in the Tunnel of Love at the carnival or on their ski trip.
Cupid even enjoyed some female bonding time with Gwen, Darling, and Penelope. To be honest, Cupid had not expected the Charmings' daughter to swing that way but she really didn't care. In Cupid's eyes, love was love. Gwen even managed to make a good impression with Darling's parents, like Cupid had. King Charming even suggested that Gwen take the Heroics course next semester, seeing her obvious talent and experience in fighting monsters.
It was terrible that Reggie had tried to split Darling and Gwen up. While Cupid supported love in all its forms, she could not support someone that would force two people apart like that. Reggie didn't even love Gwen, only the idea that she was his destined Goose Girl instead of accepting her as the Swan Princess Knight.
Speaking of Reggie, he was still attending Ever After High but would serve in-school suspension until summer. His punishment also included being forced to do whatever chores Headmaster Grimm ordered him to do. Basically, making him an unpaid janitor. It was degrading and humiliating but less than he actually deserved for his crimes.
That also meant he would have to repeat the entire school year and be behind all his classmates.
Ever After High - Grimmnasium
Meanwhile, speaking of Reggie, he was being made to mop the grimmnasium floor, all by himself, under the watchful eye of Coach Gingerbreadman. Besides his in-school suspension and chores as punishment, he was also told that he was never allowed to go anywhere near Gwen Nighte or communicate with her in any form. It did not matter if he believed she was misguided and that she was his destined Goose Girl. She had made her choice and he should respect that or else his punishment would be heavier.
Everyone knew he had been a Rogue and a disgraced one at that. His reputation took a major dive, not so much for being a Rogue as there had been a good one like Wild Knight. No, he was disgraced and reviled since he tried to kidnap a girl, ruin her relationship, and then use magic to force her to marry him. If he was a villain, it would have been expected and people would have eventually forgotten. Sadly, Reggie was supposed to be a hero and doing something so villainous had many looking at him like he was scum.
What was worse was his nerves. He had discovered that even without his Advent Deck, the Mirror World left a mark on him. He could still see into it and hear whenever a monster was approaching. Unlike some of his fellow Rogues, Reggie knew what exactly a contract meant and what he knew of Nightwise, he could guess what would happen if he didn't follow through on his end.
*Eeeeeeeeeeee!*
Reggie tensed and stood up, turning around to some stage props up on the grimmnasium stage. Naturally, one was a mirror. Emerging from it was the familiar form of Nightwise, purple armor almost blending into the shadows on the stage.
"Whoooooo…" the monster growled in that bird-like way.
"About time you showed up," Reggie frowned. "They forget to feed you now?" Nightwise didn't reply, not that it could, and jumped from the stage, stalking towards Reggie. The prince frowned and lifted his mop to use as a weapon. "Well, sorry if you're starving, but I don't intend to be your next meal!"
"Whooohooo!" Nightwise shrieked before taking to the air, diving at Reggie with its talons outstretched. Reggie dodged under the monster and got to his feet, wielding the mop like a spear. Nightwise turned in the air before coming in for another swoop. Reggie timed himself before he rolled and swung at Nightwise, catching the monster in the face. The mop snapped, but the head got tangled in the monster's face, forcing Nightwise to land to pull it off.
"HRAAAAHHH!" Reggie roared, thrusting the broken mop handle at Nightwise's back. The monster spun around, but the blow still struck, impacting over where the monster's heart should have been. Sadly, the handle just splintered more, breaking from the impact. Reggie grimaced and tried to move, but suddenly found Nightwise's grip around his neck. "Guck!"
"Whoooo," Nightwise hotted, its grip like iron. Reggie saw his vision getting blurry, but managed to spit at the monster out of spite. Not that it seemed to care. Instead, it turned and started to jump for the stage to take Reggie back into the Mirror World and devour him.
[Hold Vent!]
A spinning yoyo cracked Nightwise across the head, knocking it down and making it drop Reggie with a painful thud. Groaning, Reggie looked up to see Verde, Zolda, and Gai running towards him.
"So, this is why we had to leave our croquet game," Verde remarked. He and the guys had been in the middle of a game of croquet with their girlfriends when they heard the ringing.
"And for this guy too," Gai huffed. Gwen hadn't spared any details about her kidnapping and none of the other Knights thought much of Reggie for it. "Ah well, duty calls and all that."
"C'mon, he might be a jerk but we can't let him get eaten," Zolda said.
"Yeah, yeah," Gai nodded, quickly drawing another card.
[Strike Vent!]
Arming himself with his Metal Horn, Gai stepped forward to the monster, "Okay birdie! Let's do this!"
Nightwise recovered from the blow to the face and got up. Hooting angrily, it saw the three Knights and considered its own odds. Where most monsters would try to fight, Nightwise was a smarter breed than most. Flapping its arms, it took to the air and flew for the stage, vanishing into the prop mirror again.
"Huh, hey! You aren't supposed to run!" Gai shouted after the monster.
"So now we have to protect this guy?" Verde asked. "Come on, Lizzie and I were winning!"
"We may not have to," Zolda said as he approached Reggie and drew a card from his deck, one marked with the word 'Seal' across the top. "Here, take this. You'll need it in case it comes back."
"Why give this to me now?" asked Reggie with a frown, although he took the card all the same.
"Merlin managed to figure out how to make it," Zolda answered. "I was supposed to pass it to you the first chance I got. Figures the day I decide to goof off is when your monster shows up to eat you."
"Of course," Reggie rolled his eyes. "Well, thanks I suppose. Although I would worry about whoever has my old deck."
"What do you mean?" Verde blinked. "Mirror Monsters don't quit once they pick a target."
"True, but Nightwise has two potential targets. Now that I have this," Reggie waved the card. "I don't have to worry about Nightwise anymore. However, I'd worry about whoever has his contract. When I was given my deck, I was warned that palming it off after I used it for the first time meant that Nightwise would just go after me anyway. Obviously, whoever has it now isn't feeding him either so now he has two names on his dinner list."
"Tristan, Merlin's supposed to still have the Wise Knight deck, right?" Gai questioned, concerned.
"He is," Zolda answered but now he was not too sure. He quickly removed his armor to get to his phone. If Nightwise really was going wild, then that meant something had happened to the deck and Merlin wasn't feeding the monster anymore.
Book End - Multi-Hex Theatre.
After coffee at Hocus Latte, Dexter and Cupid decided to go see a movie at the Multi-hex. Ever since Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table became local spellebrities, the Multi-hex began showing old movies based on the Arthurian legends and tales of Camelot. One film depicted the forbidden romance between Lancelot and Guinevere.
Cupid wanted to see that one and Dexter did too, but only for some of the action scenes. Like a gentleman, Dexter paid for their tickets, snacks and drinks before they both took their seats in the theatre. Cupid made sure to sit close so she could lean against her boyfriend.
Tales of forbidden romance and star-crossed lovers were among Cupid's guilty pleasures. She loved the idea of two people who many believed were not meant to be but still fought to be together. Sometimes it was beautiful and sometimes it was tragic. Like the story of Romeo and Juliet that she studied back in Monster High.
"Ooooh!" Cupid cooed as she watched Lancelot and Guinevere share their first kiss onscreen.
"Wow," Dexter blinked at the passion displayed by the two actors. Cupid mentioned that the two actually became a couple while filming the movie. He could see it now in how they worked with each other. That was real love between them in their scenes.
Cupid may not be a damsel-in-distress but she found the idea of being rescued by her own prince and receiving a kiss to be appealing. Of course, she knew Dexter would protect her but he would likely ask for help in rescuing her. She wouldn't complain, but that raw romance of her prince charming coming to her rescue her was another one of her guilty pleasures.
Dexter was happy with Cupid. However, sometimes he felt that he might not be good enough for her. With guys like Arthur, Lance and Daring around, Dexter didn't feel quite so confident. The Knights of the Round Table fought monsters to protect their school and Book End practically on a daily basis and Daring was good at things that Dexter struggled with. Sometimes he wondered why Cupid fell for him, even if Harry assured him that Cupid loved him for his qualities.
He may not be Daring Charming, but as a Prince Charming, he was still expected to walk in his dad's footsteps and that meant rescuing damsels and fighting dragons. He just wished he could show Cupid someday that there was more to him than his book smarts and tech-savviness.
The movie ended and the couple exited the theatre together. They made dinner plans and would be going to a nearby cafe but Cupid needed to go use the little princesses' room first. Dexter of course waited in the lobby while Cupid freshened up.
"Not a bad date," Dexter smiled, hands in his pockets. As he did so, he felt something hard and plastic. "Oh, right that thing from the library." Pulling it out, he saw the shape of the plastic deck case remained the same, but it had now turned gray and the owl emblem was gone. "Huh? What the hex happened-?"
*Eeeeeeeeee!*
"Ow! Man, wh-what is that noise?!" Dexter grimaced, trying to plug his ears from the sudden screeching noise. Dexter tried to find the source, but it was hard since it seemed to be coming from everywhere. Even weirder, no one else seemed to hear it either. In fact, some people were giving him weird looks even as he tried to cover his ears. He felt himself being compelled to follow it, like there was something important at the source.
He came to one of the plastic coverings of a framed movie poster. Gazing at it, the noise seemed to be loudest there, and...was there something moving in the reflection?
"Dexie!" Cupid called as she ran up to him.
Dexter saw the figure move from poster to poster as it headed towards Cupid. All of a sudden, a taloned arm reached out and grabbed Cupid who shrieked in panic.
"Cupid!" Dexter broke into a run and grabbed the arm holding his girlfriend roughly, forcing it to let go. The arm was followed by its twin, grabbing Dexter by the shoulder before it pulled him towards the plastic surface. To everyone's shock, something in Dexter's pocket flashed and he was covered in gray before he vanished into the reflection cast by the plastic poster covers.
"Dexie!" Cupid screamed as she frantically put her hands all over the poster when she witnessed her boyfriend suddenly vanish.
Mirror World - Multi-Hex Theatre
Meanwhile, Dexter found himself flying through a crystal tunnel when he was suddenly encased in armor. Then, he was just as suddenly spat back out into the Multi-hex.
"Uh...huh?" Dexter grunted, looking up from the floor. Looking around, he idly noticed the written words in the theatre around him had been reversed. Worse though, Nightwise was right next to him and it did not look happy.
"Whooooo!" Nightwise snarled, getting up to its feet.
"Uh-oh," Dexter gulped, scrambling away from the angry monster.
Book End - Streets
Arthur had gone looking for Dexter. After Merlin suggested that someone might have picked up the Wise Knight deck, they asked Mira if she had seen anything like that. The mirror girl was quick to show them footage of Dexter picking up the deck before leaving the library.
Arthur tried to call Dexter, but he got transferred to voicemail. He tried calling anyone if they knew where Dexter might be. It was only until he called Blondie that he found out. She told him she had spotted Dexter and Cupid going into the Multi-hex on her way to the Glass Slipper for some new running shoes.
Arthur immediately sent a hext message to Kevin and Lance, who were out looking for Dexter too, when he heard the familiar call of the Mirror World.
*Eeeeeeeeeeeee!*
"Not good," Arthur grimaced as he approached a window and held his deck to it. He summoned his belt and struck his pose.
"Henshin!"
He slid the deck in and transformed before he jumped into the Mirror World.
Mirror World - Book End
"Run, run, as fast as I can!" Dexter cried, running through the street with Nightwise flying after him, screeching loudly.
He had quickly found himself covered in a rather plain suit of armor which consisted of a gray bodysuit with bland pieces of armor on his torso with gauntlets and greaves. His helmet was almost smooth save for the visor across his eyes, slitted like a knight' helms. Mounted on his left arm was a circular shield with no adornment or decoration on it.
He heard a screech from Nightwise and Dexter dove to the ground, avoiding the owl monster's talons. He rolled underneath a parked carriage and panted heavily. His mind was in a bit of turmoil, confused and obviously scared, not really getting what was going on.
"Okay, gotta calm down. Remember Dad's lessons: stay calm, take stock of the situation, stay on your feet," Dexter muttered to himself. Rolling out from under the carriage, he ducked into an alley and took stock of his situation. He was in a mirror copy of Book End, except there were no people and all the writing was reversed. He had been dragged in by a monster that apparently wanted to kill and eat him.
"Okay, so...is this the Mirror World that Arthur and the others talked about?" Dexter wondered. He then looked down at himself, patting the suit of armor he realized he was wearing, "Wait, does that mean I'm wearing their armor too?"
He didn't have time to consider it when a familiar screech echoed nearby. Dexter looked up and yelped when Nightwise was upon him, swiping at him with its talons. The talons struck his chest, making him yelp in pain despite the armor. Another swipe sent him tumbling out of the alley and into the street again. Nightwise landed, stalking after him, eager for a meal.
Groaning in pain, Dexter climbed to his feet and tried to figure out what to do. So far, he managed to figure out he was in a suit of armor like Arthur and the rest of the Knights. That would mean he had the same kind of arsenal. If he remembered right, that meant his belt was filled with cards that could help him. He reached his blank deck and pulled out a card which depicted a simple sword.
The shield mounted on his left forearm suddenly split open in the middle to reveal a slot and he inserted the card before he closed it back up.
[Sword Vent!]
Either by accident or good fortune, the sword dropped from the sky and impaled itself in Nightwise's chest. The monster shrieked and pulled the sword out, getting hangrier now. Nightwise spread its wings and flew straight at Dexter before a fireball collided with the owl monster and sent it tumbling to the ground.
"Huh?" Dexter blinked then saw Ryuki coming. "Arthur!"
"Dex? Is that you?" Arthur asked, recognizing his voice.
"Yeah, it's me! What's going on!?"
"Long story short, you're in the Mirror World," Ryuki answered. "Now, go find cover. I'll handle this."
Nightwise got back to its feet and hooted angrily as it flung feather blades at Ryuki, hitting him with a violent volley. It then charged at him and struck him with its talons, ripping sparks off on impact. Ryuki staggered from the blow and fired another fireball from his Drag Claw but it dispersed the attack with a slash of its talons.
Ryuki did not know how much magic Merlin had been feeding Nightwise but it was apparently enough to make it this strong. Of course, Reggie probably kept the monster happily fed.
Dexter could only watch the fight go on nervously. Normally, Arthur would not be having this much trouble against a single monster but Nightwise appeared to be much stronger than he thought if it could fight Ryuki on equal footing.
"Okay, I, I gotta do something," Dexter gulped. Looking around, he saw the sword he summoned, a thin straight blade. Picking it up, he steeled himself for the fight. "Okay, remember my stance, keep a firm grip, look for an opening and strike."
Luckily for Dexter's fear, Ryuki had backup as Knight and Imperor showed up, coming out of the windows of nearby buildings. The Gazelle Knight struck Nightwise in the face with a knee strike as Knight went and helped Ryuki up.
"You okay, man?" Knight asked.
"I am. Just get Dexter out of here," Ryuki pointed to the armor-clad Charming.
Nightwise managed to knock Imperor down with a kick before it took a deep breath and let out a loud, "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
All of sudden, they were no longer alone as a mob of Shereghost and Gelnewts suddenly appeared, apparently summoned by Nightwise's call.
"Where did these things come from!?" Knight yelled as he slashed a Shereghost with his Dark Visor. Monsters of different breeds never worked together like this!
"That monster must've called them!" Imperor answered as he slid a card into his Gazelle Visor. "Scavengers looking for easy prey!"
[Spin Vent!]
He struck a Gelnewt with his Gazelle Stab, knocking it down.
"Not good," Ryuki murmured as he lost Nightwise in the crowd. He looked around and saw Dexter. "Dex! If you wanna survive this! Make a contract with the monster!"
"What!? A contract!?" Dexter yelled back.
"There's a contract card in your deck! If you can make a contract with Nightwise, it'll stop trying to kill you and serve you instead!" Ryuki yelled. "But you better decide quickly!"
Dexter reached into the deck in his belt and pulled out said Contract card. The image on the card was blank but 'Contract' was written across the top. Now, Dexter was smart enough to understand what a contract was. That meant making a binding agreement. Arthur was telling him to bind himself to Nightwise to stop its violent rampage.
As he was about to go and make a contract with Nightwise, it slashed him with its talons, knocking him down again, and he dropped the contract card. It looked ready to devour him when something swooped in and knocked Nightwise away.
"Huh?" Dexter blinked and saw the monster hover down and land in front of him.
The new Mirror Monster seemed to be of a similar breed to Nightwise, looking much like an owl. Where Nightwise was purple, this monster's actual armor was blue while its feather crest and wings were silver. Its mouthpiece seemed to be a silver plate and its helmet appeared to be in a Greek-style with silver owl horns. Its eyes flared blue as it shrieked in the air, making Nightwise shriek back.
"Arthur said to make a contract," Dexter reminded himself. He definitely did not want to make it with a monster that was trying to kill him, though he was sure that this new owl monster just wanted to drive Nightwise away to have him to itself. However, it had still saved him. He made his decision and picked up the card. "Hey! You!"
The blue owl monster turned to face Dexter who held the contract card to it. The card shone brightly, bathing the owl monster in its light. It then dove into the card and Dexter's body became enveloped in light.
In a mysterious dark realm, Dexter stood in the centre as the owl monster stood behind him and wrapped its arms around him, seemingly fusing with him. This meant that the contract had been made and therefore, the monster would grant Dexter its power. The deck in his belt changed to match the monster's color as an owl emblem appeared on its surface.
His bodysuit turned to a deep royal blue. His shield turned silver with a blue owl relief emblazoned in the middle. His gloves and boots turned silver, blending well with his suit. His torso armor grew a silver feathered collar with the front turning blue, appearing as panels with silver lining adhering to his frame. Shoulder armor appeared, similar to Ryuki and Knight's, meant for lightweight protection. His visor also shifted slightly, taking the shape a greek helmet would have. The helmet itself was mostly blue, framing a silver mountplate and adorned with a pair of owl horn ornaments with a white diamond gem set on the brow with the silver stripe running over the top.
As the glow faded, Dexter now stood in his new armor. The contract card had also changed, now with the image of the owl monster he had contracted with its name written across the top: 'Moonwise'.
Now, he was known as Kamen Rider Glaucus.
Nightwise hooted and ran toward Glaucus who drew a card and inserted it into his Wise Visor.
[Sword Vent!]
Glaucus caught what looked like a silver and blue gladius sword derived from one of Moonwise's cape feathers. As Nightwise came at him, Glaucus' fight or flight instincts took over and he swung, slashing the monster across the chest. As it tried to strike him, he retaliated, giving it no quarter as he swung with all his might. One final slash sent the monster tumbling roughly on the ground.
"Woah," Glaucus breathed. He gazed at his sword and then to the monster he just beat back in awe. "That….that was easy! I've never been that good with a sword before!"
Nightwise hooted and got back to its feet, talons raised. Another hoot and it charged at Glaucus, forcing him onto the defensive. Still, somehow Glaucus was finding his strength, endurance, and all-around abilities enhanced. He also just seemed to know how to use the unfamiliar sword in his hands. Parrying with his Wise Visor shield, he cut several more lines into Nightwise, making the monster shriek and stumble back, torn feathers in its wake.
"Had enough yet?" Glaucus huffed, although inwardly his knees wanted to make like castanets. Nightwise snorted and moved to keep fighting.
[Final Vent!]
[Final Vent!]
[Final Vent!]
Roars and shrieks sounded off, distracting Glaucus and Nightwise. They looked to see Dragredder and Darkwing circling above while Gigazelle and its herd joined the fray, charging towards the monster mob in a stampede. Glaucus found himself somewhat in awe watching the three Knights unleash their finishers. Ryuki and Knight dove into the mob of Shereghosts and Gelnets, destroying several. Imperor and the Gigazelle herd plowed through the rest, smashing through them with Drive Divide and other attacks, trampling any monster that got in their way.
And now it was something Glaucus knew he could do too.
"Alright, time to finish this," Glaucus decided. Using the display as a distraction, he drew out a card that depicted his symbol on a shining blue background with 'Final Vent' written across the top. He opened up his Wise Visor and inserted the card before closing it back up again.
[Final Vent!]
Moonwise took to the air before spinning in a tight circle around Nightwise, the tip of one wing touching the ground as it flew vertically. The silver Wise-type was in fact moving so quickly, it was like a silver and blue barrier had been erected around its purple counterpart.
"Okay, check my timing and trajectory…" Glaucus muttered before he took a running leap at the spinning barrier. Amazingly, he didn't get touched by Moonwise and flew through, extending his foot for a side kick. Nightwise hooted and dipped to the side, avoiding the blow, but Glaucus kept moving. He struck the barrier on the other side, but then bounced back, striking Nightwise in the back and still going. Glaucus ricocheted multiple times within the barrier, striking Nightwise several times, causing its body to crack and splinter with light coming from its core. Finally, Nightwise could take no more and exploded with a shriek. Glaucus and Moonwise flew from the blast, either hovering in the air or skidding across the ground to end in a crouch.
Moonwise hooted and dove down, collecting Nightwise's not so inconsiderable life energy.
"Oh man," Glaucus sighed before he dropped to sit on the ground, breathing heavily. Not out of real exertion, but he began to crash from the adrenaline. "That...that was...way wilder than Dad's lessons."
Meanwhile, Ryuki, Knight and Imperor emerged from the flames of the destroyed monsters. Dragredder, Darking, and even all of the Zelles were eating well from the number they destroyed. Looking around, they watched as Moonwise swooped around the sky, either pleased or asserting dominance. Below, Glaucus watched it fly, apparently stunned at what he managed to accomplish.
"Well, I'll be darned," Knight crossed his arms. "He managed to pull it off. Guess Daring didn't get all of the princely genes after all."
"Sometimes a trial by fire is needed to show how good you can be," Imperor shrugged. "Worked for us."
Ryuki noticed that Glaucus' armor was beginning to disintegrate. Of course, making a contract with Moonwise had not lengthened his time in the Mirror World.
"Dex, you're running out of time!" Ryuki yelled.
"Huh!?" Glaucus noticed there were particles rising from his hands. "What's happening!?"
"Just get out of here! Find a reflective surface and jump right in to leave!"
Glaucus remembered he had come into this Mirror World through the movie poster in the Multi-hex. Cupid was likely going out of her mind in worry, so he decided to go back there. Fortunately, Nightwise hadn't chased him too far so he was able to run back inside. Once he found the poster he was pulled from, he dove right in.
Book End - Multi-Hex Theatre
Glaucus came tumbling out and looked around to check that he was back in his world.
"My Dexie!" Cupid's voice cried from the crowds. Glaucus immediately jolted, hopping to his feet more on reflex, he saw Cupid breaking the crowd line, running up to him. "My boyfriend's in the Mirror World! Did you see him? Is he okay!? Please, please say you saw him!"
"Woah, woah, it's okay, Cupie," Glaucus replied. He looked himself over, realizing the suit was hiding his identity. He grabbed at his belt and pulled the deck out like he remembered watching Arthur and the other Knights do. His armor immediately shattered off, revealing himself. "See? I'm fine."
"Dexie!" Cupid cried, leaping into Dexter's arms, hugging him tightly as she struggled not to cry. "I thought...I thought that thing took you away...*hic, hic*...I thought you were gone…*hic, hic*."
"Aw, Cupie," Dexter sighed softly, hugging Cupid back. He gently stroked her back and her hair, caressing her wings the way she liked. "It's okay, Cupie. The monster's gone and didn't do a thing." Cupid didn't relinquish her grip despite his soothing words, not that he expected her to.
A slight ringing tone came in the air and Dexter tensed, fearing another monster attack. A moment later, another movie poster cover rippled before Ryuki, Knight, and Imperor jumped out, earning gasps of shock from the other people in the theatre.
"Whew! Way to go Dexter!" Knight praised, approaching the pair with Ryuki and Imperor. "You really crushed that thing."
"Y-yeah," Dexter mumbled, realizing that he wasn't exactly alone with Cupid. In fact, people were crowding around the scene with phones raised. "So, uh, this may be a dumb question, but how did things get like this?"
"An absentminded wizard who needs to pay closer attention to his pockets," Ryuki sighed. "Come on, Dexter. You and Cupid need a place to calm down and we'll try to explain how this situation got all pear-shaped."
"Please," Dexter accepted, still hugging a silently weeping Cupid.
Book End Library
Dexter and Cupid followed Arthur and his friends back to the library where they went downstairs to see, shockingly to Dexter, the actual Round Table with banners of the Knights and even their two new recruits in Falco and Savanna. Lance called it 'their exclusive club room' although Arthur rolled his eyes at Lance treating the place like an after-school club.
Dexter was given a seat, although he felt a little out of place about sitting at the Round Table. Doubly so with Cupid insisting on sitting in his lap and still gripping him tightly. Mira, always the courteous little assistant, offered them each a cup of calming tea. Off to the side was Merlin, looking like a guilty kid who got caught swiping from the cookie jar.
"Dexter, I can only apologize for what happened to you," Arthur sighed, sitting in his own seat at the table. "You see, back when the break started, Gwen got attacked by Reggie Hornrim, thinking she was his Goose Girl and was enchanted to want to be a knight instead of a princess. Tristain and Kyle took care of him then confiscated his deck."
Gwen had requested that Darling's involvement be kept a secret since she didn't want people to know she was running around doing knightly things. Her family was overprotective enough as it was when she started dating. If they heard she was taking up arms and fighting, no matter how good at it she was, they would flip their crowns. So out of respect for their friendship and Darling's relationship with Gwen, the Knights kept her secret. They even managed to get Reggie to agree to keep the secret too. It was likely his pride that prevented him from saying anything. No prince would want to admit that they got bested in battle by a damsel. Well, that and it was part of Darling's stipulations as the winner of their duel.
"Then...how did it end up on the floor in the library?" asked Dexter.
"Ah, heh, heh, heh," Merlin chuckled weakly and looked away, earning a snort of amusement from Mira.
"Merlin keeps the Rogue decks on him so he can feed the Contract Beasts connected to them and keep them from running wild," Kevin explained. "Unfortunately, it turns out he wasn't paying attention to those big, baggy pockets in his robe and he dropped the deck. You were just the one unfortunate enough to pick it up."
"Seriously, how could you not know what it was?" Lance asked Dexter. "I mean, you've had to see just as many videos of us transforming as anyone else. Probably more since you're one of Blondie's tech guys."
"If I took a little longer to look at it and the cards, I guess I would have," Dexter admitted. "But I kind of got excited when Cupie was able to get some free time so I just put it in my pocket and forgot about it."
"And since you didn't immediately feed Nightwise, it broke the contract and went on a rampage," Arthur sighed. "Although, I have to say you really handled it well. You even contracted a new monster from the looks of it."
"So, does this mean Dexie will have to keep fighting those monsters?" asked Cupid, wiping her eyes. Her makeup was a loss, but she made it look good anyway. Eros' blessing no doubt.
"It's part of the contract, unfortunately. When you bond with a Mirror Monster, you don't completely tame it. You are just as much its slave as you are its master," Merlin explained. "That means keeping them fed so they will support you in return. If you don't, well, it'll go after the closest food source."
"But, didn't Arthur just say you could feed them?" asked Dexter.
"I can. Feeding them magic keeps them sated, but it's a stopgap," Merlin explained. "I imagine it's like eating tofu all the time. Yeah, it feeds you and gives you the nutrients you need, but there isn't much flavor to it and you eventually get sick of it. The same for the monsters. I can pump magic to feed them and keep them full, but they will get sick of it and go off to eat raw life force from other people."
"It's why Hunter got scouted by Merlin during Thronecoming, allowing him to become Falco," Arthur added. "Jillian's deck was blank, so she chose that path herself." Arthur looked Dexter square in the eye, "But don't think you're stuck now, Dexter. Just say the word and we'll take the deck back, Merlin will feed Moonwise, and we'll find someone else to become our third, what did Blondie call them, Squire Knights? We'll find someone else and you and Cupid don't have to worry about it."
Dexter looked at the Advent Deck in his hand. It was a simple choice, wasn't it? He wasn't a fighter, not normally. He didn't need to risk his life but then these monsters were a threat and everyone was a target, including Cupid. It was tempting, so tempting, to keep the power for himself.
"What do you want to do, Dexter?" Cupid asked.
"I don't want to fight but I don't want to feel helpless or powerless either," Dexter answered. "And I want to be able to protect you, Cupie."
Cupid smiled sweetly at Dexter, "Sometimes people who don't wish to fight are the ones we need to protect us most of all. I...I don't like the idea of you getting hurt, but I know that, as a Charming, you feel a responsibility to go out and help people. Maybe it's not a princess this time, but it's what a Charming does. Do what you feel is right. I'll get tips from Aunt Hestia and keep the hearth going to guide you home again."
Dexter, reassured by Cupid's smile and words, made his decision. He knew this meant he would need to work out and train more to sharpen his fighting skills, but if he could protect his love and their friends, then it was worth it. His brother and dad would be happy to hear he would be taking up duties as a new squire of the Round Table.
"I choose to keep it, to become a knight like you, Arthur," Dexter decided.
"If you are sure about your decision, Dexter, then it's time we accepted you," Arthur nodded. "Merlin, call everyone. We have another knighting ceremony to perform."
"Rightio," Merlin nodded, picking up his own MirrorPhone to send a group hext message.
"I'll contact Blondie so she can stream it for her MirrorCast," Lance added. When everyone looked at him, she shrugged, "What? Yeah, everyone likely knows it was Dexter in the suit, but we stream the ceremony, it tells everyone that Dexter isn't with the Order of Rogues in the slightest and no one will give him a hard time."
"Would people do that?" asked Cupid, biting her lip.
"Hunter avoided it since the Order of Rogues hadn't been a thing until after Thronecoming and Blondie recorded him helping us," Arthur explained. "Jillian had her ceremony right away after Rex's quest so no one knew she even had a suit. Everyone saw Dexter so some who don't like the Rogues or covet their armor might think he's with them. They have targets on their backs after what Perfect Knight pulled at Snow White's party."
Dexter gulped, "Right."
"Well, early congratulations, Dexter," Kevin grinned. "You're joining the newest club in Ever After."
Dexter smiled weakly. Well, it was one thing he managed to do ahead of Daring. Maybe his parents would ease up a little on being more princely. You can't beat being a Knight of the Round Table.
Book End Library
Unlike the previous two times Arthur and his friends held their knighting ceremony, this time it would be planned and prepared for. The first time was just a Thronecoming after party and a way to welcome Hunter and show their support to help him get used to his new responsibilities. The second time was a bit impromptu, so it didn't have the same weight of majesty the first time did. This time though, they were able to plan for it, set the mood, and get proper decoration.
The Round Table was magically moved to the first floor. The Knights' banners hung from the tree roots which decorated the ceiling, showing their colors and the gold emblems. All of the Knights were in attendance to welcome their newest member. They were in full armor, welcoming the guests who had been given invitations considering the occasion. Since Dexter was nobility, the Knights all but had to make a gathering of it.
Naturally, Dexter's family were invited. King Charming and his wife Queen Charming were in attendance. Naturally, that meant Daring and Darling had come along too. Somehow it evolved to bring members of their extended family. Fortunately, since it was a knighting ceremony, a banquet wasn't expected, although there was a meeting hall set for entertaining after the fact.
Of course, all of the Knights invited their significant others, wanting them to be part of it as well. Apple proved she was definitely a social woman as she mingled and chatted with the Charmings as well as her friends. Raven was friendly and polite, although the Charmings save for a few, were a little cold to her considering her parentage. Being King Arthur's intended queen didn't exactly erase her mother's stigma. Hunter definitely enjoyed bringing Ashynn to such an event, his Knighthood making it clear he was good enough for her.
Blondie had dressed her very best and intended to report absolutely everything she could about the ceremony. She missed Hunter's knighting and was caught by surprise by Jillian's. Still, she wasn't going to waste the opportunity as she and Humphrey moved to get pictures, videos and even interviews.
There was a little time before the ceremony, so guests were mingling. Some talked shop, others were just being friendly and passing time. They, of course, had Dexter as the center of attention.
"Little brother, I have to admit I am proud of you," Daring chuckled, wrapping an arm proudly around Dexter's shoulders. "I heard all about that intense battle and your first act of glory. I could have done it better of course, but you certainly lived up to the Charming name today."
"Uh, thanks, Daring," Dexter smiled weakly.
"Oooh! I'm so proud of you Dexter!" Darling cooed, hugging her older brother. "I mean, you just got the armor and you proved worthy of it and you accept the responsibility that comes with it? Now you're being knighted as a member of the Round Table!" Darling sniffled a little, so excited and proud of her brother. It was usually Daring who was in the spotlight and it was so rare for Dexter to stand out.
"I'm proud of you, son. You've earned this," King Charming nodded to his middle child, brimming with pride. "It's good that the next King Arthur recognizes talent. He is one of the better students in my heroics class so I should have expected this sooner."
"Thanks, Dad," Dexter grinned .
It was time for the ceremony and the main doors to the room opened, announcing the arrival of the Knights of the Round Table. They marched in two rows, donned in full armor. Everyone had already stepped back to give them space to move and approach their table. They split apart, moving in a circle around the table before they took their seats. Falco stood at the ready behind Tiger's chair, considered to be Tiger's Squire. Savanna did the same behind Odin, who owed her knighthood to him in the first place. Although they were called Squires, they had the full rites of any member of the table. Said table just wasn't big enough for them yet so they stood at the ready behind the Knight who was a friend and/or mentor.
Ryuki took his seat in the king's chair at the table, Drag Saber at his side, "Who comes before our Table Round?"
Dexter gulped and looked at Cupid who smiled encouragingly at him. Taking a breath, Dexter stepped out into the lights which were focused on the Round Table.
"Dexterous Charming!"
Ryuki nodded, "You have earned the armor which we ourselves wear. You wielded it in combat and came back victorious. Do you claim to be a knight?"
Dexter had to fight to keep himself from stuttering, "No, I am not a knight. I am a prince, but no knight."
"You have pedigree," Ryuki acknowledged. "But you admit you are no knight. Why wield that armor in that case? You could be ruling your own keep with your lady love by your side, safe and secure."
Dexter shook his head, "Because the duties of a prince are to protect his kingdom, not sit in a castle and give orders. I refuse to let other people risk getting hurt when I have the ability to do something about it. A prince who cannot be the example his people need, leading the way, is no prince at all!"
"Well said," Ryuki accepted. "You took to the field of battle to defend those who could not, even when you did know you possessed the armor. Through cunning, courage, and valor you claimed victory." Ryuki stood up from his chair and his Knights turned their attention to him, "What say you, Knights of the Round Table? Does this prince show traits worthy to join our ranks? Raise your weapons for aye, or remain silent for nay."
The Knights turned their attention back to Dexter who felt his heart beating like a jackhammer. Although he knew he would be accepted, he did worry that if he didn't get a good number of the votes, it would affect him negatively in some way. Especially when Jillian and Hunter apparently got unanimous votes for their knighting ceremonies.
He needn't have worried. One by one, each of the knights summoned their weapons and raised them up with a cry of 'Aye'. From the Wing Lancer down to the Black Drag Saber, every Knight agreed that Dexter would be joining their ranks. Each one felt like a thunderclap since the room had gone so silent. Finally, after Ryuga cast his vote, Ryuki nodded.
"Unanimous," he spoke as if he expected it. The red Dragon Knight then stood up, lifting his sword. He walked around the table until he and Dexter were facing each other. In that moment, Dexter felt the authority and purpose coming from Ryuki and realized he really was King Arthur's grandson, "Kneel."
Dexter did so, almost a little too fast, but he did so. Ryuki held out his sword and tapped Dexter on his right shoulder, "In the name of the Father, I charge you to be brave." He tapped his left shoulder. "In the name of the son, I charge you to be compassionate." He then tapped the right shoulder again. "In the name of the Holy Ghost, I charge you to combat injustice where it is found and bring fairness to all. Do you so swear?"
"So do I swear!" Dexter declared.
"Then rise, Dexterous Charming, Knight of the Owl, Kamen Rider Glaucus! Rise and be recognized!"
Dexter stood up and from above, a royal blue banner unfolded to hang with the others. It was emblazoned with his new owl emblem, hanging just as proud and noble as the others. For a moment, Dexter was sure he was having an out of body experience and looking at himself from another angle. Was this really happening? Was he really succeeding as a prince and knight when for so long he thought he was just going to be mediocre?
"Hail Dexterous Charming! Knight of the Owl!" the other Knights called, raising their weapons high and snapping him out of his stunned stupor. He looked around as the other guests began cheering and clapping. Dexter even caught sight of his family, his mother and sister near tears while his father and brother watched in very obvious pride. Most importantly, there was Cupid, glowing as she cheered for him.
'Best day ever,' Dexter thought to himself.
Merlin watched the ceremony and took out the blank deck which had once belonged to Rebellious Charming. He scanned the room, looking for potential users.
"Hm..."
Ever After High - Dorms
Reggie angrily threw his MirrorPhone against the wall. He had just watched the livestream on Blondie's MirrorCast show. That was his deck! That was his armor! That, that nerdy waste of a Charming managed to use it and suddenly he was accepted into the ranks of the Round Table? Where was the fairness in that?!
Wow! Go, Dexter! I knew you had it in you!
Yes, Dexter Charming proves his heritage and joins the illustrious ranks of the Knights of the Round Table.
His responsibilities may increase from this, but no doubt it will give him the confidence to rise to the challenges ahead.
Hey, wait, there's an extra scene here.
?
The room was a posh office, fit for some high-ranked CEO with a mahogany desk and expensive furniture. It seemed more like a high-class residence. Expensive art hung on the walls and elaborate floral arrangements were set to provide color. Real ones which maids would water every day. It reeked of decadence and money, the kind many could only dream about.
Inside, two figures were speaking. One was a woman who was seated behind the desk, dressed sharply in a black suit and skirt. Smart square glasses were worn over her shining purple eyes and her lips seemed almost vibrant in their blood-red shade. Her hair was tied in a tight bun and her focus was more on her paperwork.
With her was a young man, quite a bit younger than her, wearing what looked like a white school uniform with white hair in a ponytail and blue eyes.
"The next King Arthur is already adding to his ranks. We need to speed things up to add more warriors on our side," the white-clad boy frowned.
The woman didn't look up from her paperwork, "Then stop handing them out to idiots and soft-hearted fools. If you want loyal subjects, start picking those who you know will be loyal."
"You were the one who said to spread them out in a wide variety to test them!" the boy argued. "Besides, how was I supposed to guess we got the wrong twin and the son of a wolf would be disciplined and honest?"
"It's called due diligence. And don't forget how you were dazzled by Rebellious' bragging," the woman pointed out, adding insult to injury, "In any case, the test batch is proving successful. Just some minor tweaks to reinforce the armor and the belts themselves and we'll have production going full throttle. I have a list of candidates for you. We will need to do something about Bog Knight and Wild Knight before they join Arthur's side as, considering their personalities, they inevitably will."
"And when can I challenge Arthur?" the boy asked impatiently.
The woman stopped doing her paperwork and looked the boy straight in the eye, "Once you have filled your ranks to match his. It won't matter if you defeat him when his knights can take you down afterward."
"True. Seventeen of them now, three from our own decks," the boy muttered sourly.
"And perhaps up to nineteen if Wild and Bog aren't dealt with soon," the woman pointed out. "Vilegater and Silverclaw are valuable assets we don't want to have end up with Arthur's forces. We will need them to help combat these Survive modes Arthur, Knight, and now Ohja have unlocked."
"Tsk!" the boy huffed. "Any chance we can copy those too?"
"Given time, possibly. We never saw a hint of those before Calibur told us and we saw the video," the woman replied. "We need more data before we can even make an attempt."
"Of course we do," the boy muttered.
"Stop whining. Research like this doesn't get done overnight," the woman frowned. "You DESIRE Camelot? Then we need to be prepared and research thoroughly. Going in with some stupid heroic charge isn't going to win you anything."
"Tsk!" the boy clicked his tongue, annoyed, but accepted her advice.
Aha! Finally! We see the source of the Rogues' decks!
Yes, but who are they? I've never seen them in any story we've read before.
It seems we will have to keep reading to find out.
A/N: And now Dexter gets his time to shine as the former Wise Knight deck is made into the Glaucus deck. On the other hand, we see that the leader of the Rogues has a backer and looks like is getting ready to make a move.