Chapter 17: A Rule Slip

Soon enough, the Unbirthday Party in the Tea Garden starts to get heated because Ace doesn't know about a rule about not bringing chestnut tarts to the Unbirthday party.

Ace says in shock, "Whoa, hold up! Is that one of your rules too?!"

"Yeah! If you want the tart gone, let me eat it!" Grim says, not happy that Riddle is trashing food.

Trey then says to Riddle, "Housewarden, allow me to apologize. I was the one who suggested making a chestnut tart."

"I was a part of that too. We had no idea there was a rule about it!" Cater says.

But Riddle says, "The making of the tart is not the issue. The issue is bringing it HERE. Today. THAT is the transgression!"

"Come on Riddle, don't be like that. They just made a mistake. There's no need to get upset over it," Briar says.

Then Jasper crosses his arms, "How can you live by such weird rules?"

"And you didn't have to be mean about it," Tanzanite adds.

"Yeah. Why are you being so mean after all the hard work we did?" Sereia adds.

"Weird?" Riddle questions with a stern face.

"Well, some of your dorm's rules are a bit, well, far-fetched," Briar replies, scratching the back of her head.

Then Ace angrily says, "Yeah! All you do is cite one stupid rule after another! You sound totally foolish!"

"What did you just call me? 'Foolish'?!" Riddle demands, and is getting angry.

Cater calls out, "Everyone, stop! Don't dig this hole any deeper! And Riddle, please try to remember that these are new students who've only been here a few days!

"Nah, bro. I've got a shovel and I am DIGGING," Ace answers, refusing to back down, "Throwing away a tart to obey some insane rule is about as foolish as it gets."

Then Deuce saus, "I agree with Ace. Of course, I understand that rules do need to be followed, but… This is going much too far."

"Are you attempting to debate me?" Riddle questions. "Bold move. But I'll bite. By breaking even the smallest rule, you are throwing wide the gate to anarchy."

Briar is growing concerned about how things are going, but as she looks at Riddle, she notices something… off… about Riddle. She rubs her eyes and suddenly sees a mixture of black and red aura surrounding Riddle, like both colors are clashing against each other.

Then Ace calls out to the students, "Everyone, I know you're afraid of getting your magic sealed away, but you know this is insane, right?"

However, one of the Heartslbyul student becomes reluctant, "N-no, we, uh…"

Riddle turns to the student and questions, "Well? Isn't it?"

Then the student says, "Far from it, Housewarden Riddle, sir!"

Then another student says, "We trust in your judgment, sir!"

To Briar and the other's shock, the student seems to be on Riddle's side, but it's clear to see that they're doing it out of fear of him.

Hearing this makes Grim growl in anger, "You little...

Ace is just as angry as Grim, "You spineless, fair-weather cowards…"

Then Riddle says, "In the year since I became housewarden, not a single student from Heartslabyul House has dropped out or been held back a year. We are the only house that can boast such a feat. Furthermore, of everyone in this dorm, I have the best academic standing. Hence, I am the most correct! If you would simply obey me without question, we wouldn't need to contend so.

But Deuce says, "Listen, we-!"

But Riddle interrupts him, "It's not off with their heads because I want to do that. I do it because rules must never be broken."

Trey doesn't know what to say about it.

Then Riddle says, "If you will not obey me, then I will have all of your heads!"

Cater then turns to Briar and the others, "Okay, let's all say, 'Yes, Housewarden Riddle.'"

But Deuce says, "... I can't."

"Neither can I," Briar says.

"No way!" Jasper says with his arm crossed.

"I'm afraid I can't go with it either," Tanzanite says.

Sereia and Trinket nod their heads in agreement.

ThenAce angrily says, "I don't bow to self-important tyrants!"

"What did you just call me?" Riddle questions, narrowing his eyes with a vicious glar.

"He called you a tyrant for wantin' to destroy good food just 'cause you're throwin' a tantrum!" Grim angrily says.

Briar and the rest of the Ramshackle Dorm members look dumbfounded.

"Seriously, you're going to complain about food at a time like this?" Jasper asks.

"Guys, I don't think we need to escalate this-" Deuce calmly says.

Before anyone has a say in it, Riddle shouts, "Off! With! Your! Heads!" as he waves his magepen.

Before anyone can react, the spell has been casted on Grim, Deuce, Jasper, and Tanzanite. However, Sereia and Trinket hide behind Briar in fear of having the spell casted on her. Briar couldn't move away. But thanks to her medallion, the spell bounces off and disappears in a matter of seconds.

They all scream, "Bwaaaaaaah!"

Grim cries out, "No! Not the collar again!"

Deuce grabs the collar and tries to pull it off, "Gah! I can't get it off!"

Tanzanite and Jasper struggle to pull the collar off.

"Urgh! That stupid thing! I can't remove it!" Jasper angrily says.

"It's locked up tight," Tanzanite says.

Briar then looks as she sees most of her friends have been collared. However, she turns to riddle and grows frightened, the strange aura growing around him has grown larger and notices something off about his magepen. It's hard to tell, but she can't help but notice that the red gem on his pen is… starting to turn black a little, and some strange ooze is starting to seep out of it. Then, Briar begins to feel strong pain from her head and feels it on her chest.

Seeing Briar, Sereia, and Trinket not collared made Riddle's rage escalate.

With rage, Riddle shouts, "Trey! Cater! Eject them from the premises!"

"... Yes sir, Housewarden," Cater and Riddle say, reluctantly.

Shocked, Deuce says, "Y-you're supposed to be our 'mentors'!

"Sorry, but we can't disobey our housewarden!" Cater says.

"Sorry, man…" Trey replies

Seeing this, Ace angrily says, "Oh, that's how it's gonna be? Then bring it on!

Suddenly, "JUST STOP IT!"

Everyone comes to a halt and turns to see Briar clenching her head and her body is shaking.

"Briar… wha-what's wrong?!" Decue asks, concerned.

"Are you okay?" Sereia asks, concerned.

"M-m-my h-h-head… my head is hurting!" Briar shouts in agony.

Then collapses on her knees, shocking everyone, including Riddle.

"Myah! Are you alright? You look sick!" Grim asks, shocked.

"Briar…" Tanzanite says, worried.

Ace and Deuce kneel to Briar to check if she's okay.

"You okay? You're looking very pale," Ace adds, confused.

Briar happily breathes as the pain in her head begins to dim down.

She then softly says, "Guys, I think we need to go."

"Uh, what did you say?" Deuce asks.

Then Briar calmly raises her voice, "I said, I think we need to go."

"Myah! Go? You want us to leave?! No way! We're not leaving until we give this tyrant a piece of our mind!" Grim refuses.

But Tanzanite says, "Grim, I think we should leave. Briar is not looking so good."

"Yeah. As much as I want to beat Riddle and take on Trey and Cater, but…" Jasper says.

And looks at Briar in deep concern, "Briar looks really sick," Jasper says.

"You're right. She looks like she's going to faint," Grim says.

Ace sighs, "You're right. As much as I hate to admit. Come on, Briar. I'll help you up."

Ace and Deuce then help Briar on her feet. She stumbles a bit and Ace is able to hold her.

Then Trey says, "We'll help you find your way back to the dorm entrance."

And so, Trey and Cater help Ace, Deuce, and the others leave the tea garden with Briar, who is practically stumbling at each step. Everyone else at the Tea Garden is left in shock, and wonder what could have happened. Riddle may not have shown it, but is actually worried about Briar, especially when she suddenly shows pain and collapses all of the sudden.

Sometime later, the group reaches to the entryway of the dorm. And soon come across a bench close to some of the rose bushes.

"Here Briar, you should sit," Tanzanite says.

"Okay," Briar replies, and gently sits on the bench.

"Are you going to be okay? You look like you were in pain," Sereia asks.

Trinket replies with her twinkling sounds and gently rubs Briar's cheek in concern.

Then Trey says, "I advise after you get some rest, you should go to the infirmary to have a check up."

"Okay," Briar replies.

Then Cater says, "We'll T-T-Y-L, folks."

We'll try to calm Riddle down, so maybe he'll let you back in the dorm after you apologize," Trey says.

Then Ace angrily says, "I will NEVER apologize! Not to that numbskull!"

"For now, you should worry about your friend in the meantime," Trey says.

Then Sereia angrily says, "Trey is right, Ace. Just let it go, we have more things to worry about!"

Ace sighs, "You're right."

Then Ace and Sereia turn to see Briar sitting on the bench of the dorm with the others, who are trying to comfort her.

Then Trey and Cater leave to head back to the Unbirthday Party.

Ace places his fingers under his thoughts and thinks, "I wonder why Briar reacted like that, and why she has the sudden urge to leave so badly. And how she reacted at the party. What could have upset her so much that she collapsed.

Riddle lets out a huff and says, "Hmph. Now, let's get this party back on track. After all, we still need to have the croquet tournament. And now we're fifteen minutes behind schedule! This is outrageous!"

"Yes sir, Housewarden Riddle," Trey replies.

Then Riddle takes his leave

Cater turns to Trey and asks, "Are you really okay with this, Trey?"

"What do you expect me to do about it?" Trey answers, not too pleased with what has happened.

Unknown to anyone, more drips of black ooze almost like black ink drops to the grass of the garden. Some of them manage to merge together.