Disclaimer: I do not own Kamen Rider Ryuki or Ever After High. I am only writing this for fun and not for profit.
Knights of the Otherworld
By Ten-Faced Paladin
Chapter 2: The Red Knight and the Rebel
The Knights of the Round Table, a prestigious honor to any aspiring knight seeking to defend the land and write their name into history.
It is indeed a great honor, but also a great responsibility. Especially for the newest generation who find it suddenly thrust onto their shoulders.
And so to ensure they are ready for it, they undertake training befitting for a knight.
Oooh, look at that!
(***)
The Village of Book End - Library
Boot Camp was what Merlin called the training he was going to put the newly minted knights through. The title was certainly an apt description for the training. Merlin had them go through hard exercises to build up their muscle and stamina so they could stand to fight the Mirror Monsters. The suits did enhance their strength and the contract with the monsters themselves did give them an edge, but without the actual physical training, it wasn't going to be as much of an edge as they thought.
Merlin had all of them study the cards in their Advent Decks. Apparently, each one had different cards to use depending on their contracts, offering different weapons or abilities. This had Merlin supply training weapons and begin giving instructions to let the knights begin getting experience with them. Despite being a wizard, Merlin lived in a time when even wizards had to learn how to use weapons and he definitely hadn't lost his touch.
The basement of the library had been repurposed, or Merlin had additions made, he hadn't been entirely clear as to which answer it was. Inside a sizable room, several training dummies were set up at one end, and racks of various weapons were set up.
The sounds of wood against wood cracked through the air. The teenage knights sat at the sides of the room, watching the sparring match going on. Arthur was on one side, wearing gym shorts and a red t-shirt as he held a wooden sword and shield. Opposite of Arthur was Merlin in a tracksuit, holding up his staff and a wooden sword of his own.
Arthur grit his teeth and swung, catching Merlin's staff before the wizard lazily swung back with his sword. Arthur lifted his shield, letting the weapon crash against it.
"Good. Keep aware of what's in your hands. Don't ever get reliant on one hand," Merlin nodded. He then moved and began slashing with his sword, prompting Arthur to lift his shield and sword to try and block the multiple rapid strikes. Arthur was quick to block, having been nailed several times by Merlin's sword in the weeks since coming to Ever After. The pain was a big motivator to get better.
Merlin gave a sweep of his staff, prompting Arthur to block it. Then, to Arthur's surprise, Merlin threw his sword up into the air. His eyes followed it by reflex. Merlin immediately saw the opening and swung his staff, taking Arthur off of his feet and putting him on his back with a huff. Merlin then relaxed his stance, catching the sword on its way down.
"And do we know what your mistake was?" Merlin asked.
"Yes," Arthur groaned, sitting up. "I took my eyes off you in the middle of a fight."
"Very good," Merlin nodded. He set his staff, somehow letting it stand on its own, offering a hand to let Arthur stand. He took it, standing up. "You're getting this very quickly. Don't let this discourage you."
"I won't," Arthur nodded.
"Good lad," Merlin pat his shoulder. "Okay, Gawain, you're up!"
Gawain stood up, picking up a wooden battleax from the racks of fake weapons, and stepped out to meet Merlin. Arthur rubbed his back as he sat down again, setting his weapons aside.
"Tough luck there," Lance commented as Arthur took his seat.
"Yeah," Arthur groaned. "Man, this isn't as easy as when I played knights with my grandpa when I was a kid."
"No kidding," Kyle rubbed his head where Merlin rapped him during their spar.
"At least you guys have normal weapons," Darren muttered, concentrating on a yoyo he was currently doing tricks with.
"What are you complaining about?" Gwen frowned. "You took to that thing like a duck to water."
"Yeah, but a yoyo isn't exactly the most intimidating weapon out there," Darren retorted.
The conversation died down as the sparring match began, getting everyone to watch and maybe learn a thing or two so they might be able to make Merlin work for his next victory.
WHACK!
"...ow," Gawain groaned.
…eventually.
(***)
Yeowch! That had to hurt!
Knighthood certainly is not for the faint of heart.
And learning from Merlin, who served with some of the greatest knights of all certainly has high standards.
Well, I'm sure these new knights can handle it!
(***)
After practice and cleaning up, Arthur left the library so he could relax a little bit and explore Book End a little more. His afternoons usually consisted of exploring Book End and finding something new to experience. He enjoyed treats from the Gingerbread Boutique, shopped in some stores, tried out the Beanstalk Bakery, and other shops people hung out in. His favorite though ended up being Hocus Latte, so more often than not, Arthur found himself there when he wanted to just relax and do something without thinking.
Entering the store where he became a regular, he spotted the familiar barista. The store was slowly getting busier as students for Ever After High were starting to file in preparation for the beginning of school.
"Hello Arthur!" the perky barista greeted, almost running for the front counter and beating out her co-worker who began to pout. "What will it be this time?"
"Ah, gingerbread this time? I feel like experimenting," Arthur ordered.
"Right away," the barista nodded, tapping the order in. "Anything else? Coffee, tea, or…?"
"Just the coffee," Arthur shook his head. Heading to sit down while he waited for his coffee to be made, and leaving a pouting barista and her snickering co-worker behind. He navigated the occupied tables of teenagers talking over coffee, reuniting for a new school year, and found an empty table for himself.
Arthur sat down, his arms and legs protesting slightly after all the exercise he had done. He pulled out his phone, his new mirrorphone, and began linking to the mirrornet and reading up on the news, entertainment, and just other mindless things while he waited for his coffee.
Although his eyes were on the reflective surface of his new phone, his mind was on the whirlwind of events that were going on in the time since he arrived in Book End.
Ever since they agreed to stay and fight the Mirror Monsters, Merlin had been drilling them hard with training. Sparring against each other, and against him. He said they were doing well and maybe even had a talent for it, but everyone sure didn't feel like it with all the bruises they collected from him. No one had managed to really land a blow on him either.
They did have discussions with Merlin about how to deal with the monsters. Max, Rex, Harry, and Kevin were for the idea of warning the people of Book End about the monsters, maybe even capturing one to prove they existed. Merlin shot the idea down, citing the mass panic it would cause. And even on the off chance the people believed them and didn't panic, with how monsters and villains were in modern times, the people may not even take them seriously. As proven in Arthur's fight, the Mirror Monsters were a different kind of beast than the fairy tale creatures everyone was used to.
Speaking of the monsters, aside from a few Sheerghosts poking around, it seemed they were laying low, not bothering since for the most part, the barrier Merlin created was holding. The wizard had patched up the previous hole, trying to minimize using magic lest it drew in worse monsters. The newly minted knights patrolled, kept an eye out, and had to bust a few of the grubby white monsters, but they remained quiet. It was a good battle experience if anything and all of them sorely needed it.
Merlin had also taken to explaining how the armor worked and what their contracts with their partnered monsters meant. Although tamed, to an extent, the Mirror Monsters which each knight had required feeding and they only ate life energy which could be collected from slain monsters. That had been what the orbs of energy were that the Sheerghost Arthur had fought used to suddenly transform as it did. If the monster was fed, it would continue to empower the armor the knights wore. If it was not, it would break the contract and likely go after the one who refused to feed it.
Scary thought…
The final rule that Merlin had shared, which was ironclad and could not be broken, was that any fight that went to the Mirror World had to be finished in nine minutes and fifty seconds. Any longer, the corrosive atmosphere of the Mirror World would begin eating away at them and their armor would fail, leaving them to vanish. The reverse held true for the monsters in the Real World, so the monsters would never stick around unless there was a big incentive for them.
'He knows how to make a point," Arthur thought idly. Merlin had proved his point by tossing an apple into the Mirror World. After exactly nine minutes and fifty seconds, the apple began to let off a haze like it was pixelating. A little after that, the apple vanished in a haze, not even a spot remaining where it had been.
Shaking his head, Arthur looked back to his mindless browsing as he waited for his coffee to be finished. He absently heard the door chime as he checked out recent movie listings, "Hm…might be time to visit that Multi-hex place…"
"EVIL!"
Arthur nearly leaped from his chair, his hand reaching for his Advent Deck by reflex. His eyes darted around, looking for who had been shouting. Oddly, other people were hiding behind the sofas or trying not to stand out, as if someone frightening had just entered.
Looking to the door, Arthur briefly saw someone had dashed outside. Nearby, knocked to the floor was a girl his age. She had long dark hair with purple streaks. Her outfit seemed much like the local gown styles but was in an array of black and purple with a silver mantle and high collar in the form of feathers. She clearly wasn't typical princess stock, wearing fishnets, and gothic-style black pump shoes. In all, it made her look like a teenage sorceress, although much more eye-catching than most other people Arthur had seen so far.
Seeing no one was helping the girl who had been unceremoniously knocked over, Arthur was quick to get to his feet. Moving to her side, he saw her purse, a purple and black bag with a bird motif had been dropped in the chaos.
Arthur quickly retrieved the bag and moved to the girl's side, "Hey, are you okay?"
"Yes," the girl sighed. Looking up, Arthur got a good look at her. Her skin was fair but pale, making her seem ghostly in her outfit. Her lips were colored purple and she had amethyst-colored eyes and wore a spiked tiara of all things.
She looked…enchanting, in a sense.
"Here, let me help you up," Arthur offered his hand, which the girl accepted, pulling her to her feet. "Just what was wrong with that guy? He acted like the boogeyman dropped by."
"I'm used to it," the girl sighed, taking back her purse.
"Used to it? He ran out because of you?" Arthur blinked. He took in the girl's appearance a second time. She had a shocking style compared to everyone else, and she was pretty, but nothing struck "Um, don't take this the wrong way but…you're not all that scary…"
"It's not because of who I am, it's because of who my mom is," the girl shook her head.
"Your mom?" Arthur blinked. "How bad could she be?"
The girl looked at Arthur and answered, "As bad as it gets. My name's Raven Queen, daughter of the Evil Queen."
Arthur blinked as the girl introduced herself. He expected the girl to elaborate, say her mother's name which might explain why she was so feared. Instead, the newly introduced Raven Queen looked at him like he was supposed to recognize the title.
Realizing she was expecting a reaction, Arthur just replied, "Uh…Evil Queen who?"
Raven blinked, clearly not expecting an answer like that. Nearby, curious patrons who were listening in had to stop and stare at Arthur. One or two even coughed on their coffee when they heard his response. Raven blinked owlishly, "Um…you know, the Evil Queen?"
Arthur shook her head, "I'm…going to need more than that. Like, her name?"
Raven felt herself gape a little, "Um…you know…Evelyn Queen? Meanest in the land? Powerful sorceress?"
Arthur shook his head, "Never heard of her," Hearing that, Raven openly began to gape like many others who had been listening in. Seeing he was getting a weird look, he tried to change the subject, "U-um, I didn't introduce myself did I? Ah, my name's-!"
"Arthur Pendragon!" the barista called with his cup of coffee in her hand.
"Here! Ah, be right back," Arthur moved to get his coffee. Once he picked it up and turned, but stopped when he saw everyone in the place staring at him, shock written on their faces. It made Arthur suddenly feel more awkward than almost any other time in his life.
"What?" he asked. Immediately, everyone looked down, finding their phones or their coffee to be more interesting. Taking his drink he returned to the still stunned Raven, "Uh, so, ah, right. My name's Arthur Pendragon. Uh…are you here for school too?"
"H-huh?" Raven blinked, but then caught herself, "Um, y-yes. Ah, you go to Ever After High too?"
"Looks like it," Arthur rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, so…ah, any advice for a new guy?"
Raven bit on her lip and seemed to hesitate, making Arthur fear he'd come off as a complete weirdo. Then a light seemed to come to her eyes and she gave a small smile, "Um, sure, let me just get a coffee of my own, and I could…show you around town…if you'd like, I mean! I know…well, I know how royalty gets and….um…."
"Sure! Maybe you could show me some nice spots I haven't been able to dig up yet," Arthur grinned.
"Great!" Raven beamed, but then caught herself. "I mean, yeah, great. I'll…just be right back!"
Raven took a quick trip to the counter as Arthur took his free seat. He sipped his coffee as he watched Raven quickly order. He did notice people keep stealing looks at him and…were they aiming their Mirrorphones at him? He shook his head and ignored it as he waited for Raven to finish.
'Wait, is the barista giving her the stink-eye?' Arthur pondered, but then dismissed the idea as foolish.
(***)
Well now, it seems Arthur has run into another of our main characters, Raven Queen, daughter of the Evil Queen.
Wow! He doesn't know who the Evil Queen is? I thought everyone knew who she was.
Well, remember that Arthur and his fellow knights don't come from Ever After. Still, it seems Raven was quick to realize that and help change the subject. Too quickly if you ask me…
Oh, oh, hurry! I want to see more!
(***)
Once Raven had her own coffee, she immediately set to begin Arthur's tour of Book End. Raven had a year's experience of wandering around Book End, being a second-year student in Ever After High.
"So, this is the Red Shoes Dance Club," Raven introduced as they approached the building in question. It had a bright sign with a pair of red shoes. It looked like it would light up at night. "Lots of students who want to party come here at night for music."
"Nice," Arthur nodded. "What do they usually play?"
"Lots of pop stuff most nights, but they like to do theme stuff during special occasions," Raven explained, clearly enthusiastic. "The best nights are when Melody Piper is the DJ. She just knows the best music to play."
"Sounds good. Are you a regular?" Arthur nodded.
"Um, well, when I can get around to it," Raven admitted, shifting slightly "I really like music. I just…don't get the chance to play that much."
"Well, I'd love to check this place out when it's open," Arthur nodded. The club really did sound like the place to be. "So, what else is there?"
"Well, I know a few more spots," Raven grinned. "Let me introduce you to one of the most popular spots in town. The Wonderland Haberdashery and Tea Shoppe."
"Really?" Arthur asked as they walked. "Oh, is that the place with the big hat? My friend Darren is always hanging out there."
"That's the one," Raven nodded. "My friend Maddie's dad runs it. He's the Mad Hatter."
The two turned down another street, coming to the middle of town. Their destination was a typical building that looked slightly wonky, widening as it got higher. It had a large teapot sitting on top and a top hat sitting on a teacup resting on an extension. Numerous tables were set outside with umbrellas shaped like teacups.
"Somehow, I'm not surprised Darren likes it here," Arthur chuckled at the sight of the weird building. "So this is a tea shop? I thought it was a theme restaurant."
Raven giggled, "Everyone thinks so when they first see it. If you ask a Wonderlandian though, it's their version of Hocus Latte. It's completely normal and soothing."
"Delightfully mad and maddeningly delightful!"
Arthur jumped when he heard the voice suddenly speak right next to them. Turning, he was surprised to see someone standing next to him and Raven as if she was there the whole time. Her dress was a crazy mix of magenta, teal, and white, all embroidered with gold like a teacup. Her hair was frizzy and streaked in the same colors, tamed only by a small top-hat hair ornament. She wore dainty gloves and...somehow already had a cup of tea on hand to enjoy as she stood calmly next to them.
"Um…where did you come from?" Arthur asked, looking utterly confused. He and Raven were in the middle of the sidewalk. She seemed to have just popped up out of nowhere.
"From Wonderland, silly! Can't you tell?" the girl giggled. She leaned over to smile at Raven. "Hi Raven!"
"Hi Maddie," Raven greeted. "Arthur, this is Madeline Hatter, daughter of the Mad Hatter."
Arthur nodded, although slightly thrown off by Maddie's mad cheer, "Um, nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too!" Maddie beamed. "Any new friend of Raven's is a friend of mine! It's so good to see someone else wanting to be friends with Raven. How you two met was so cute, such hat-tastic way of meeting new friends!"
"Wait, what?" Arthur blinked. "How did you know how we met?"
"I heard the narrators," Maddie smiled impishly before taking a sip of her tea.
"Don't get too wrapped up in it," Raven laughed. "It's just how Maddie is."
"Anyways, welcome to Ever After!" Maddie beamed to Arthur, passing him a cup of tea she fished out of her pocket…somehow. "Let's have a celebratory tea party to welcome Raven's newest friend!"
"Sorry Maddie, but I'm showing Arthur around Book End," Raven interrupted. "We can stop by another time."
Rather than be disappointed, Maddie began to giggle, "Okay! Be good to Raven, Artie! Everyone should see what a great friend she is instead of Snow White's villain!"
"Snow..?" Arthur began.
"Uh, come on Arthur! Lot's more to see!" Raven abruptly tugged on Arthur's arm, starting to pull him away. "You haven't lived unless you've gotten to try the Beanstalk Bakery's Jack Horner special!"
"Um, okay, next stop then," Arthur nodded, confused by Raven's sudden eagerness to get moving again. "I heard one of my friends tried some of their stuff, but I haven't really tried to visit it yet."
(***)
Oooooh, I get it. Raven doesn't want Arthur to find out which story her mom's from.
Indeed. After so long of being ostracized by so many, Raven hopes to make a new friend on her own merits instead of scaring them away with her name.
Well, fibbing like that often doesn't work out for anyone.
(***)
Raven smiled as the two walked down the street for the bakery. It wasn't hard to miss, considering it was set around an actual beanstalk. As they walked, Raven would glance at Arthur with curiosity and soon found herself asking, "So, um, Arthur, are you really a part of the Pendragons?"
Arthur glanced at her, "Sure. Let me guess, King Arthur and all that?"
"Well, yeah. It's a really old and famous story," Raven nodded.
"Ah he heh," Arthur chuckled. "You're not the first to ask that. But here's the answer all the same. One of my ancestors had a military position in Wales. At the time, it was Pendragon, or Dragon's Head, the top of a command chain. People just mistook the position as his last name and we just kept it I guess."
Raven pondered that. She wanted to ask where Wales was, but she had a more pressing question, "But, if he was the top of the command at the time, wouldn't that have made him a king?"
"I don't think so. I think kings were beyond the chain of the military weren't they?" Arthur shrugged.
"Hm," Raven pondered, not knowing the answer herself. "So, are you going to be starting at school with everyone else?"
"Well, so far the guy hosting us is setting it up," Arthur nodded. "And making sure we're up to scratch…and he plays dirty."
Raven giggled slightly at seeing Arthur huff, "Sounds like a real troublemaker."
"And one with a silver tongue," Arthur sighed, rubbing a phantom knot on his head. "He really sold it for us to come to Book End. Got us all to stick around and become Knights of Camelot."
"There are more of you? The other Knights?" Raven asked in surprise. "Headmaster Grimm is going to love that. More heroic destinies for him to brag about and pour favor over."
Arthur looked at her, seeing her mood darken, almost literally, "Pour favor over? The headmaster of the school actually picks favorites?"
"It's an open secret," Raven huffed. "All the heroic students and damsels are treated so much better. If you're a villain, people decide to just stay away before you do something…villainous to them I guess. The headmaster is always ready to bend the rules just for the heroes who have the Happily Ever After."
Arthur scoffed, "Boy, he sounds like a great teacher. I've had to deal with teachers who were always going on about' reaching my potential' or 'bonding with my peers' just because they had expectations on my name and acted like they were doing me favors by trying to sign me up for clubs or classes since my dad or grandpa did it too."
"I totally get that," Raven huffed. "Everyone ducking out of my way like rabbits scared that I'm going to hex them just for looking at me funny all because of who my mom is."
"It sucks," Arthur agreed. "People suddenly being friendly with me when I don't even know who they are just because they want to get on the good side of my parents or my grandpa when he was around."
"Grr. Don't get me started," Raven growled. "Everyone always assumes the worst about me, telling me I should be doing this or that just because my mom did it."
"My potential is just fine. I don't want to be put on some pedestal and treated like I'm superboy or something," Arthur grumped. "I want to be seen for who I am, not just the next Pendragon and expected to be just like my dad or grandpa!"
"Exactly!" Raven nodded. "Why should I be treated like my mom? I don't want to follow her destiny! I don't want to poison people or curse them! I just, well, I don't know…I just want to be me."
"All those expectations, just because of a name."
"People don't see me, just my mom."
"I just feel so…"
"I'm just…"
"Trapped," both teenagers sighed. Blinking, they looked at one another, realizing they had said the same thing. It was a moment before they realized it but then smiled at one another, finding a real connection. Both were on different ends of the spectrum, being expected to be great or terrible, but they saw it in each other. Someone who had unreasonable expectations put on them, and surrounded by people trying to make decisions for them.
The two reached the Beanstalk Bakery and Raven ordered the Jack Horner Special. It turned out to be a slice of the bakery's signature pie. It was a plum pie, but was made to the bakery's special recipe. Arthur was slightly wary, not having been a fan of plums in the past. Still, he was at least willing to try it. Tasting it, he quickly understood why it was called a special.
"Oh man that's good," Arthur grinned before he swallowed his bite.
"Isn't it?" Raven took a dainty bite of her own. "It's always worth getting."
The two made idle chat, although they were certainly curious about each other, they focused on knowing the person in front of them, not prying into their stories which they were certainly curious about. Raven clearly didn't like talking about her mother or her story, so Arthur decided to respect that and not ask. Arthur likewise didn't see himself as the next King Arthur his name would suggest, so despite wanting to know more about the famous story, Raven didn't pester him about it, wanting to know about the boy in front of her.
While they were talking, a pair of people popped up from behind some of the shrubbery. The first was a teenage girl who was somewhat on the shorter side, wearing an almost childish Victorian-era dress which made her seem like Alice from Wonderland. She had round cheeks and bright blue eyes, but her most prominent feature was her long, curly, golden blonde hair.
With her was a young male teenager in glasses, holding a tablet. He seemed rather ordinary, sporting a green shirt with a white vest, suspenders, and trousers with green glasses. Oddly, his blonde hair made his head seem rather pale with a pronounced forehead and he wore a crown.
"Blondie, are you sure about this?" the bespectacled teen asked in an unsure tone.
"Of course Humphrey! I checked multiple sources," the girl replied. "The next King Arthur is in our town and is sure to begin at Ever After High! It would be just right to get an interview for the blog at the beginning of the year!"
"But Blondie, he looks like he's in the middle of something with Raven…" the boy named Humphrey gulped. Raven had a scary reputation, being the next Evil Queen opposed to Snow White.
"All the more reason! I smell scandalous in the air!" Blondie grinned excitedly. She quickly grabbed Humphrey's hand and pulled him towards the table.
Arthur almost yelped when a pair of teenagers came up to the table he was sitting at, a petite blonde and a pale boy with a crown on his head. The girl was smiling and was next to him in a flash, holding a microphone and talking into a camera on a mirrorpad the boy was holding.
"Hello fellow fairy tales, this is Blondie Locks, reporting live from the Beanstalk Bakery," the girl spoke. "We are investigating the sudden surge in rumors that the next King Arthur is walking among us, no doubt joining us at Ever After High this school year!"
"Uh…" Arthur blinked, utterly confused.
"Blondie…" Raven sighed, annoyed at the interruption.
The blonde girl, Blondie, then spun around and pointed her microphone in Arthur's face, "So, anything to say to your fellow students in the upcoming school year? Everyone thought the story of King Arthur was lost ages ago. Where has your Camelot been? Are the other Knights of the Round Table joining Ever After High with you?"
Arthur blinked, utterly taken off guard by the sudden line of questioning, "Uh…well…I…I am Arthur Pendragon, yes. I guess I am starting in Ever After High this year. Um…I don't really…"
"Blondie, will you leave him alone?" Raven frowned. "Couldn't you at least ask for an interview before butting in?"
"But this is cutting-edge news!" Blondie argued. She turned her attention back to Arthur, "And we just have to ask, are you scoping out your potential rival in Raven Queen? The greatest villain against one of the greatest heroes?"
Arthur blinked, "Uh…what are you talking about? Raven and I were just hanging out."
"What am I talking about?" Blondie gasped. "Don't you know? Raven's mother-!"
"Blondie!" Raven cried, trying to interrupt, but the blonde did not hear or ignored her.
"-Is the greatest villain all Ever After! She's the Evil Queen who poisoned Snow White!" the reporter finished.
Arthur blinked, then blinked again. The blonde and her cameraman were looking at him like they were expecting some kind of reaction. Raven wilted, looking miserable about the identity of her mother being revealed to him.
"...and?" Arthur asked.
"A-and?" Blondie blinked. "The evilest in the land? The sorceress who tried to invade other stories? The eternal nemesis of Snow White, fairest in the land?"
Raven continued to wilt, but then she began to get upset. Gritting her teeth, looking like a mix between wanting to scream or cry, she stood up and began stomping away from the bakery. Arthur's attention snapped to her, forgetting about his awkward interview..
"Sorry, I can't talk right now," Arthur hastily apologized before getting up and leaving their unfinished slices of pie behind.
"H-Hey, wait! We need the exclusive!" Blondie cried, trying to follow, but Arthur and Raven easily outpaced her, running away from the bakery.
(***)
Beanstalk Bakery - Mirror World
The Mirror World version of the Beanstalk Bakery was as silent as the Real World version was noisy. Only the wind blew with the sounds of monsters in the distance.
Perched in front of one of the storefronts and staring at the glass was one particular Mirror Monster. It was a humanoid creature covered in green organic armor with red hexagonal patches on the chest. Long insect leg blades extended from its forearms and its head was a smooth, dark dome with hexagonal plates acting as eyes. The jawline of its head was green and had mandible-like attachments, giving it a spider-like appearance.
The monster was chronicled by Merlin in his studies, earning the name Solospider.
The Solospider stood almost still as it watched the glass, eyeing its prey. It easily sensed the source, seeing the vibrant energy which permeated its target. Such vitality was rare, a veritable feast! Not that the spider was so articulate. It merely saw a prime target for prey and its animal instincts told it to capture the prey and its hunger would be sated for some time.
The Solospider patiently watched its prey, watched the prey wander with other prey. It followed, it was patient. Soon, the prey struck out on its own, and the Solospider followed.
It eagerly anticipated the feast that was soon to come.
(***)
Oh no, another Mirror Monster! One we haven't seen before!
Don't worry Brooke. I'm sure Merlin's barrier will hold.
But, but the barrier got broken by Sheerghosts last time! This monster looks way stronger!
That's what the new Knights of the Round Table are for if that ever happens.
I hope so…I don't want to see anything happen to my favorite fairy tales.
(***)
Book End - Streets
"Raven, Raven wait a second!" Arthur called, running after the upset girl.
They had turned down one random street, Arthur just keeping his focus on Raven and not where they were going. He finally managed to catch up to her, despite Raven not turning around to face him yet clearly having heard him.
"Raven!" Arthur called, reaching and taking hold of her shoulder. "Hey, Raven, what's wrong?"
"What's wrong?" Raven turned, looking utterly depressed. "My mom, that's what! I can't go anywhere without everyone calling out 'the next Evil Queen' and looking at me like I'm going to destroy them. Everywhere I go, people always look at me like I'm her and just getting ready to attack."
Arthur grimaced, "But…"
"So when you said you didn't have any idea who she was, I was so relieved someone besides my best friend didn't look at me like that," Raven continued to ramble, wringing her hands. "Now Blondie had to blurt it out like she does everything else and now you're just going to look at me that way too and…I didn't want to lose my new friend, even though I am. I mean, who would see King Arthur and the Evil Queen being friends and-!"
"Raven!" Arthur cut her off, making her stop. "It's okay Raven, calm down. I'm not going to drop you just because I know who your mom is now."
Raven blinked, "But…but, aren't you afraid of what everyone might think? Blondie is probably streaming right now and…"
"Raven, remember what I told you about my life? Being treated like I'm some kind of next-generation golden boy just because of my name?" Arthur asked. "I know how it feels and I'm not going to fall into that trap just because your mom is a bad egg. Evil Queen is Evil Queen. Raven Queen is Raven Queen. I know you Raven, not your mom, so I'm going to treat you like you."
Raven blinked, looking at Arthur. His words caught her by surprise. After trying to make friends so many times, and then people running when they realized who her mom was, she was used to people just dropping her when they found out. Even other villains were intimidated since her mom had tried something so crazy like attempting to conquer other stories. Arthur on the other hand didn't seem to be bothered by such a thing.
"I…" Raven blinked. She sighed and rubbed her face. "You really don't know how bad my mom got, do you?"
"Besides poisoning Snow White and apparently trying to take other stories? Not really," Arthur shrugged. "And I really don't care, unless she's still out there and aiming to conquer Book End."
Raven stifled a small laugh, "No, she got busted hard and locked up. We're all safe from her," She sighed and looked to the ground. "You must think I'm a complete loon now."
"I think we were having a good time until that girl butted in and you're sensitive about people comparing you to your mom," Arthur shrugged. "If she's so bad, I can understand why. So, I'm all for just forgetting this blip happened and we can keep hanging out somewhere else."
Raven smiled, feeling some relief wash over her, "I'd…I'd really like that Arthur. Thanks." She heaved a breath to calm down but then spotted a pair at the street corner, one with long, curly blonde hair. "Blondie!"
"Huh?" Arthur looked over his shoulder, spotting the pair as they tried to hide behind a light post and a trash can. "Seriously? Is she a paparazzi or something?"
"She has issues realizing where boundaries are," Raven grumped. "Or that they even exist in the first place."
(***)
Book End - Mirror World
The Solospider hissed, seeing its opportunity. The prey was distracted and vulnerable. An easy catch and an abundant meal as a reward!
Rearing its arms back, the Solospider slashed at the glass window it was using as a view to the Real World. Its blades crashed against the surface, cracking not the glass but a barrier of energy that was above it. Seeing it work, the spider-type slashed out several more times, weakening the barrier with only a few strikes. One final strike had the barrier shatter to pieces, throwing magical shards to the ground. The Solospider ignored the shards, seeing a more filling meal as it dove into the glass, passing between worlds.
(***)
Book End - Streets
Eeeeeeeeeeee!
Arthur winced when he heard the tone of the Mirror World. He gasped as the realization hit him: a Mirror Monster was coming through!
He spun his head to see where it was coming from, getting Raven's attention. Arthur quickly saw where the tone was coming from. Another window from a storefront ripped and the form of a green spider-like monster began slipping through the glass. It hung out of the window before it let off a hiss, launching a spray of white webbing at Raven.
"Move!" Arthur cried, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her out of the way. He all but leaped backward, both of them landing on the cobblestone street as the webbing flew harmlessly past them.
"Huff!" Raven gasped as they hit, herself wrapped in Arthur's arms. "A-Arthur? What are you doing?!"
"Talk later! Get up!" Arthur replied, quickly beginning to sit up with the Evil Queen's daughter.
"H-huh?" Raven blinked. As Arthur struggled to help her stand, she turned to where he was looking. That was when she saw the Solospider emerging from the glass. "Wh-what is that?!"
The Solospider hissed and charged, moving incredibly fast as it reared back its arm, stabbing at Raven. Arthur was quick, pulling Raven aside in a roll, letting the length of organic metal stab into the stone. Coming to a stop, Arthur was on his feet in a flurry before charging at the monster, kicking at it. His foot smashed into the side, making the monster grunt and shuffle back. For the armored carapace of a Mirror Monster, it was little more than a poke, but it did put the monster off balance and give Arthur some space.
Quickly digging into his pocket, he slipped out his Advent Deck. The Solospider noticed it and stiffened, either somehow understanding what it was, or simply it sensed the magic Merlin put into it. Arthur quickly stood straight before he thrust his hand to the side, showing the emblem to a nearby storefront window. In the reflection, a rectangular metal belt buckle with a hollow in the middle appeared. The only ornamentation was a red stone set on the top and one at the side, making it seem a little plain.
The reflection moved, wrapping around Arthur's waist in his own reflection. In the blink of an eye, said belt suddenly appeared on Arthur himself. Once secured, showing a silver belt with large sockets on the sides, Arthur threw his free arm across his chest.
"Henshin!" Arthur shouted loudly before sliding the Advent Deck into his belt.
Once the deck was locked in, the stone at the top lit up. Around Arthur, grayscale versions of his suit appeared before overlapping onto his form. All the images solidified into a solid suit of armor, filling with the bright red color it normally was.
Raven gasped in surprise at seeing the armor appear over Arthur's frame. The helmet reminded her of a knight's, but the rest seemed to be strange armor and a flexible kind of leather material covering the rest. It looked futuristic, but simple at the same time. It was plain and honest, like any knight's armor should be to inspire trust.
"This is Blondie Locks reporting live to some kind of...of…monster attack!" Raven suddenly heard Blondie's voice and she turned to see her and Humphrey now paying rapt attention to what was happening. Blondie of course was giving a running commentary, "The rumored King Arthur bravely stepped up to fight the creature and somehow changed into a suit of armor!"
"A-Arthur?" Raven gasped, looking up at the boy she had just met.
"Well, not much point of an alias now, but in the armor, I'm called the Knight of the Dragon," Arthur replied, giving a bare glance over his shoulder before looking back at the Solospider. "My knight name is Sir Ryuki, the Dragon's Spirit."
The Solospider roared and began to charge, lifting its sword talons to make a strike. Ryuki didn't hesitate and charged back, wanting to keep the monster away from Raven. Once in range, the Solospsider lashed out, swinging hard with its weapons to try and cut Ryuki down. The red knight dipped and weaved around the attacks, although the spider proved inhumanely fast.
Ryuki caught one arm and kicked the monster in the side, making it grunt from the impact. Creating the opportunity, Ryuki lashed out with several punches, smashing against the Solospider's green carapace. A fierce punch across the monster's domed head made it stumble back.
"Ow, ow," Ryuki muttered, flicking his hand. Even with only a few weeks of training, he wasn't used to actually punching things.
The Solospider gave a chittering hiss before it spat out a stream of webbing at Ryuki. The red knight twisted to avoid the thread, letting it stick to a far wall. He turned to face the monster again, but the spider had used the thread to pull itself like a bungee cord. The Solospider came in at high speed, on Ryuki in a flash before it slashed him across the torso in a shower of sparks.
"GAH!" Ryuki cried from the impact. The Solospider hissed and charged to keep attacking. Ryuki grimaced and sidestepped the first strike before the spider stabbed at him. Grunting, Ryuki spun around the strike and elbowed the monster in the collar, making it wheeze before he kicked it away.
"Yeah, fists aren't my thing," Ryuki huffed. He quickly reached to his deck and slipped out a card. A brief glimpse showed it depicted Dragredder's chest scales and arms defending against an energy strike. Ryuki quickly popped open his Drag Visor and slipped the card inside.
[Guard Vent!]
A red blur emerged from the window that the spider did, flying to Ryuki's right arm before landing in his grip, revealing a shield exactly like the one on his card. Holding it, he spun and blocked an incoming strike. Pushing the shield up, Ryuki put the Solospider off-balance before another kick to the chest knocked it back. With the suit enhancing his abilities, the Solospider was knocked back in a heap.
Ryuki was quick to transfer his shield to his left hand and pulled another card. As the Solospider was pulling itself up, he quickly slid it into his Dragvisor.
[Sword Vent!]
From the glass, Ryuki's Drag Saber flew out, caught in his free hand. Gripping both weapons, he stared down at the snarling Solospider. He now looked much more like the knight which Merlin was training him into.
(***)
Book End - Library
Gwen was sipping on some tea as she sat in a comfy chair, reading on her mirrorpad to see what the internet, er, mirrornet in Ever After could provide. She saw some cute pet videos, checked out the music scene, and was looking up what Ever After High was like.
Flipping through some links, she saw one of the student productions. One of them looked like a news mirrorcast called 'Just Right with Blondie Locks'. An icon showed that the blonde girl in the link was streaming live. Thinking it might be interesting to see what was going on in school life before school began, Gwen tapped on the link.
Then promptly spat her tea out in shock.
"GUYS!" she shouted, running down to the main floor where the others, what few were present, were either doing some chores for Merlin or just hanging out.
"What? What is it?" asked Kevin, jumping when he heard Gwen shouting. He and Rex were restocking some books when she came charging in.
"Arthur's fighting another monster!" Gwen reported, lifting her mirrorpad to show the live show.
"What? How do you…" Kevin began, but then saw what was playing on the enchanted glass. "...oh crap."
"That fool!" Rex boomed. "What is he doing?! We all agreed to keep the monsters a secret! He's fighting one on a live stream?!"
"It was a nice secret we had once," Kevin sighed. "Look, we can get mad about it later, let's go help him!"
"Then let's, oh curses!" Gwen winced, seeing something happen in the fight.
(***)
Ever After - Streets
Ryuki grunted as he blocked the strikes from the Solospider with his Drag Shield before swiping at it with his sword. The monster snarled and blocked the blow with its own blades, making a shower of sparks from the impact.
'Come on, come on," Ryuki thought to himself. 'Either run or give me an opening!'
The spider was savage, but it wasn't stupid either. It knew how to block a strike, and it could tell when Ryuki was going to take a swing at it. It was also fast, able to react the few times that the red dragon knight was trying to get a sneaky strike in to make it slip up.
It was a stalemate for the moment. Ryuki did not have the experience to immediately break it while the Solospider didn't seem to be smart enough to break it either. Both met in a clash of sparks, pressing their weapons against each other as they tried to push the other back.
"The battle has reached a stalemate as the brave knight battles against the spidery menace!" a female voice spoke during the battle. "Oh, the tension is unbearable!"
Ryuki perked up and turned to see the blonde girl and her cameraman. Both were standing brazenly in the street, the girl watching in amazement like she was watching the event of the century while the boy looked like he wanted to run. Raven was back at the street corner, doing the sensible thing by keeping back from the action.
"What are you doing?!" Ryuki shouted at the two. "Get away!"
The distraction proved enough for the Solospider. Crouching, it jumped, landing on the side of a building, sticking to the walls like a real spider. Ryuki spun around to see where it had gone. The Solospider spat a stream of webs, catching Ryuki around the neck. A sharp tug pulled him off his feet, dropping his weapons before pulling him up into the air, eliciting a strangling noise.
"Arthur!" Raven cried, seeing the red knight yanked into the air.
"Oh no! The heroic knight is caught in a devious trap!" Blondie gasped in shock at the sight.
Raven saw Arthur struggling with the web. This wasn't like the brave princes and knights she heard so many stories about. The spider monster was actually trying to strangle the red knight! Blondie was too enraptured with telling the story and Humphrey looked too terrified to do anything, neither really getting the moment. Perhaps it was her villainous upbringing, but she could actually see the savagery of the monster and not misunderstand it.
Stepping forward, Raven concentrated and focused on her magic. She did not have perfect control, but she wasn't looking for a fine touch in her spells. Concentrating purple magic power into her hands, Raven created two orbs of magic power that hovered above her palms.
"Hey, eight eyes!" she shouted. A snarl came from the Solospider, turning its attention to her. She threw the spheres, hoping the force of the magic would knock it off the wall and save Ryuki…
*BOING! BOING!*
To Raven's shock, the orbs seemed to bounce off the monster, like light off a reflective surface. The Solospider hissed, knocked to the side slightly, but was not directly affected by the spells Raven had fired. Ryuki's choking noises could be heard as he swung with the momentum.
Raven, despite being shocked by the reaction, did not give up. If the magic wouldn't affect the monster itself, then she would have to try something else. Conjuring more magic, she threw it in the monster's direction. Rather than hit the Solospider itself, the spell hit the brick wall it was perched on. The magic sank into the brickwork before it rippled, kicking the Solospider off and sending it to the road again with a shriek.
"Huff!" Ryuki wheezed, dropping to the ground. Coughing, he groaned but quickly saw his chance. Scrambling, he grabbed his Drag Saber before cutting the thread connecting him to the Solospider.
Getting to his feet, he saw the Solospider doing the same. Acting quickly, he charged at the monster and swung his blade. The blade met home across the Solospider's chest in a blast of sparks. It screeched and scrambled back, trying to get away. Ryuki quickly took the blade in both hands and made an overhead chop at the spider.
The monster tried to lift its blades to block the strike before the blades crashed against one another. Despite the pain, the Solospider was able to keep fighting. Ryuki grunted, frustrated from the lack of progress. He needed something which could distract the monster and leave it open and-!
'Wait! That's it!' Ryuki thought as the idea hit him. Gripping his sword, he promptly threw it up into the air. The Solospider hissed and it looked up, following the arc of the sword and ignoring the red knight. With the opening, Ryuki quickly drew another card before slotting it.
[Strike Vent!]
The Solospider jerked to look at what Ryuki was doing before it got a faceful of fire from the Drag Claw on Ryuki's arm. The fireball exploded, sending the Solospider down the street in a cry of pain, rolling to snuff out any flames.
"Amazing! Arthur Pendragon somehow conjured a dragon fire weapon to blast the monster! It looks like he has victory in hand. This will be a just right finish!" Blondie reported excitedly.
Ryuki did not hear as he looked up, catching his sword in his free hand as it came back down. Looking at the Solospider, he saw it was getting the last of the flames out, armor smoking and scorched from the blow it took. The red knight quickly saw his chance and tossed both of his weapons away to free his hands.
"W-wait, Arthur's throwing his weapons away? Is he planning on letting the creature go? To capture it? This is so unusual!" Blondie gasped.
"Arthur?" Raven pondered, confused at his actions.
Ryuki didn't hesitate as he drew his next card, a familiar bright red one, before slotting it into his Drag Visor.
[Final Vent!]
A ripple in a window, and then a roar, were the only warning before Dragredder swooped into the Real World, winding through the air towards Ryuki. Raven let off a yelp and Blondie unleashed a shriek as the serpentine dragon sailed past them.
"What the hex is that?!" Raven cried.
"Are you getting this?! Are you getting this?!" Blondie gasped, looking at Humphrey.
"I-I'm getting it!" the son of Humpty Dumpty trembled, holding the mirrorpad in his hands.
Dragredder flew to Ryuki's side, the two glancing at one another before the red knight leaped into the air, earning gasps from the trio for the physical feat. Humphrey was quick to follow with his camera, managing to get the shot despite his nerves. Ryuki spun in the air and positioned himself for a flying kick as Dragredder positioned his head behind him, flames leaking from his mouth.
Raven's eyes widened in shock as she saw what was happening. "Arthur, lookout!"
Dragredder unleashed a blast of flame, launching Ryuki down at the recovering Solospider. His battlecry echoed through the air as he was launched down with the force of a bullet. The Solospider was not able to move in time, taking the Dragon Knight Kick technique to the chest. It's armor shattered under the force of the strike as its body was engulfed in dragonfire. The force sent it sailing back with a scream down the street. Landing in a heap, its body exploded, earning yelps from the three present fairy tales, although the fire was quick to die down.
Ryuki landed in a crouch, the last of the flames licking his armor dying down. From the remains of the Solospider, it's core lifted into the air like a beacon. Dragredder gave a roar of glee, gulping down the treat before diving back whence he came.
"Whew," Ryuki sighed, relaxing his stance. "Well…better than my first time." Turning away from the Solospider's demise, he glanced and saw Raven, Blondie, and Humphrey watching him with shocked looks on their faces. More importantly, Humphrey still had his mirrorpad on and had been recording everything.
Ryuki froze when the realization hit him, "...oh curses!"
(***)
Well, that didn't stay a secret for very long.
When the call of duty is made, any proper knight answers it regardless of the circumstances. It seems young Arthur Pendragon fits the role just fine.
Although he did save a damsel, it seems it is Raven Queen who played the role this time. Although the next Evil Queen should not have needed such aid in the first place.
(***)
Arthur feared that Blondie was going to be even more pressing for an interview now that she had witnessed his fight with a Mirror Monster, but she was so excited by the 'gold' she and Humphrey collected, she barely noticed Raven dragging him away. Her excuse? The knight in shining armor needed to escort the damsel home after such a 'jarring' event.
Arthur took the chance to remove his suit, letting his armor fall away in red shards and returning to normal. Blondie barely noticed, jabbering away into the camera. Humphrey sure noticed, eyes wide in wonder as he seemed to be curious about the technical aspects of it. Raven quickly looped her arm into Arthur's and pulled him away, leaving the two reporters behind.
The two walked in silence, not really sure what to say. They just walked for several moments, Raven's arm looped with Arthur's, neither realizing the contact they were sharing. Both of their minds were just in some mix of confusion or hesitation.
"So…" the two began, but then looked at each other, realizing they spoke at the same time. "You first…no…I insist…"
They both stopped, laughing slightly at what happened. Arthur shook his head and gestured Raven to continue, "So…what was that monster? You…handled it pretty well."
"I wouldn't say 'pretty well,'" Arthur rubbed his neck. Why did the monsters he fought try to choke him? "Well, I don't want to scare you, but it's called a Mirror Monster. It…well, it lives in some kind of Mirror World which you can go through reflections to find. It must have broken through the barrier our mentor put up around Book End to get here."
"Mirror World? I've never heard of that," Raven frowned in confusion.
"It's apparently a recent thing. Merlin, our guardian, put up this barrier to keep them out, but…well, the monsters get insistent, especially since they like to eat magic and life energy."
"Magic and life…oh," Raven paled as the implication hit her. "So…it wanted to eat me?"
"Yes…ah, speaking of, are you okay?" Arthur winced. "I mean, I did kind of pull you around to avoid it."
"Just a scrape or two and my hair's messed up," Raven shook her head. "It's okay. You didn't hurt me."
"Good," Arthur sighed with relief. Perhaps he was old fashioned, but the thought he accidentally hurt Raven did make him feel as bad as if he let the monster hurt her.
Raven proved full of questions and Arthur tried to answer them, feeling perhaps a little less burdened since he could talk about his purpose in ever After now. Raven did ask about Dragredder, surprised that he was actually a dragon of an eastern variety. She then called him crazy for letting Dragredder bathe him in his fire. It seemed dragonfire was a highly destructive substance which could burn just about anything. To her, the fact Arthur was unscathed was nothing short of amazing.
They walked up a hill to a building Arthur recalled seeing from the distance in Book End. It was a tall, majestic building reminiscent of a castle. It was impossibly tall, sporting towers, roofs, and so many other additional rooms and sections. It should have been an architectural nightmare, but it was all built around a large beanstalk, giving it the support it needed to stay standing.
"So this is Ever After High?" Arthur asked.
"Yes, for better or for worse," Raven nodded. "The dorm entrance is over this way,"
They walked around the school, walking along the cobblestone walkways and polished stone decorations and statues. They walked up to a walkway which overlooked the hills like an overhanging deck before they came to the back of the school which had doorways leading to a section which was split into two towers, reaching the highest portions of the school itself.
"So…these are the dorms?" Arthur asked.
"They have to hold all four years worth of students, so, yeah, they have to be this big," Raven nodded. She bit her lip and glanced to her new friend. "So, I…guess this is it."
"Yeah, not a registered student yet so I might not be able to get in," Arthur nodded. There was probably a guest policy, but since the school year hadn't begun yet it might not be in effect yet.
"Yeah," Raven nodded. "Um, say, do…do you think…we could swap numbers? I mean, in case Mirror Monsters become a thing again or….we can just…talk?" Raven inwardly chided herself for sounding so unsure. Where was the girl who stood up to the headmaster and asked why she had to sign for her mother's destiny?
"Um, I…yeah, sure," Arthur nodded. Digging out their mirrorphones, the two quickly swapped numbers. Arthur did feel accomplished he made a new friend in Ever After, although he wouldn't deny it being a pretty girl made him feel a little flustered.
"Thanks," Raven smiled. "Um, so…one more thing…" Raven steeled herself. She was no trained damsel so she felt so awkward, but when a knight in shining armor came to your rescue, it was the proper thing to do…or so she heard… "Oh hex it!"
Leaning forward, Raven planted a chaste kiss on Arthur's cheek. His eyes widened in surprise and looked as Raven leaned back with rosy cheeks, "Um…"
"Well, I'm not the best damsel, but I can still say thanks to the knight who came to my rescue, right?" Raven smiled awkwardly.
"I…suppose. Don't know much about the protocols myself," Arthur blushed, touching the space Raven's lips touched. "But…you did rescue me too so I guess I'm glad you're not the typical damsel in distress."
"Yeah, I'm such a Rebel that way," Raven smiled. "So…will I see you around?"
"I'm just a phone call away," Arthur nodded. "So…I'll see you later Raven."
"Bye, Arthur," Raven waved and the two parted ways, walking away, but casting glances over their shoulders at each other, smiling. They kept doing that until Raven was in the dorms and Arthur was walking the path back to the front of the school.
Arthur smiled, sticking his hands in his pockets. Maybe it was him, but Ever After seemed to get just a little more enchanting. Rex was likely going to ream him out something fierce for fighting a monster live on a stream but…well, a knight didn't wait to do their duties when called on, did they?
That thought would help him endure Rex's scolding once he returned to the library.
(***)
And so Arthur Pendragon, Knight of the Red Dragon, met Raven Queen, the next Evil Queen and their destinies now intertwined.
A Knight of the Round Table, the next King Arthur, being friends with the next Evil Queen? Everyone will flip their crowns when the news breaks.
I know! Isn't it royally awesome? What happens next?
Well, let's see…ah, now begins Lance's first chapter…
To Be continued…
(***)
OMAKE CORNER
The Knight's Armory
Sir Ryuki, Knight of the Dragon
The armor wielded by Arthur Pendragon, it boasts minimal armor for maximum flexibility, enabling dexterity in battle. Despite not having the hard armor many of the other knights have, the armor is just as durable and able to withstand the strokes of many types of Mirror Monsters.
The armor is equipped with the Drag Visor, the device which Ryuki can activate his Advent Cards with. It comes in the form of a gauntlet which has a grip on his left hand. It can serve as a layer of defense if needed, should Ryuki not have a proper shield on hand, although this is ill-advised as a permanent solution.
The armor is bonded with the Mirror Monster known as Dragredder, a large dragon-like monster which takes on the appearance of a chinese dragon. Being one of the larger types of monsters, Dragredder boasts higher strengths and attack power than the usual humanoid monster of the Mirror World, granting a number of assets for his contracted knight.
His Advent Deck consists of an even mix of long-range and short-range cards which include the Drag Saber which is a scimitar meant for slashing strikes, and the Drag Claw which fires explosive fireballs or streams of fire from a gauntlet shaped like Dragredder's head. It also offers a means of defense with the Drag Shield styled after Dragredder's chest.
The Final Vent technique to this suit is the Dragon Knight Kick, where Ryuki leaps into the air before Dragredder fires a breath of flame, launching Ryuki at the target like a flaming projectile.
(***)
Beyond the Looking Glass
Sheerghost
The Sheerghost is perhaps the weakest Mirror Monster. While armored like the others, they have very little in terms of offensive abilities. Their only true ability is the ability to fire streams of silk to capture prey or bind enemies. The silk is strong but is not as strong as the kind used by the Spider-types.
The only time the Sheerghosts are truly a threat is when they band together to mob targets. With their mob tactics, it is easy for them to overwhelm unprepared or unguarded targets. Still, they are uncoordinated and can begin getting in each other's way when they start trying to get at their target, making circumventing them easy for someone with a good weapon and a calm mind.
Raydragoon
The Raydragoon is the next stage of life for the Sheerghosts. Should a Sheerghost accumulate enough food and energy, they molt their skin, becoming the sapphire-armored Raydragoon. These monsters are considerably better armored than their previous forms. They sport blades extending from their forearms and can manifest a spear-like weapon. Their unique aspect is their ability to grow dragonfly wings from their heads, allowing them to fly at high speeds, striking at targets before they are able to properly react.
Raydragoons are a threat on their own, especially with their high speeds. Still, they retain their mob tactics if given a chance, attacking as swarms when the opportunity presents itself. They show a better instinct for battle, able to coordinate to an extent, but once the time to feed comes, they can get competitive with each other, making an opportunity to break their unity and cull their numbers.
Solospider
Solospiders are one the Spider-type breeds, sharing characteristics of the type which include being able to climb on walls as well as use strands of web to capture or detain prey and enemies. The Solospider's primary skills are its high speeds and its extended claws, capable of cutting through rock. It uses both to quickly cut down its targets and get an easy meal. In battle, the spider will attempt to use its webs to bind or slow prey down before striking fast to end the fight.
Solospiders are like their name suggests, solitary hunters. They wait for prey and once they pick a target, will patiently wait until they have an opportunity to strike. Their preferred moment is when the target is alone, or any potential obstacles are distracted and not paying attention. They will use their speed to dart at the target, capture them, and then run away to devour the prey at its leisure.
A/N: And the revamped meeting between Raven and Arthur. I wanted to have a bit of social interaction and have Raven try to hide who her mother is, but I worry I drew it out too much.