This dorm is the priciest shit I have seen in my life. I can recognize luxury when I see it. I want to know how a dorm from a school has so much money but then I realize alumni donate for specific causes and clearly there's a lot with so much cash it's silly. I assume any Ramshackle Dorm alumni are well and dead.

I'm going to have to find another income source in the future, I assume. Maybe there's school scholarships for upkeep? The budget I'm balancing is decent, but I want to petition for some foundation inspections.

This place clearly doesn't have ANY of these problems. That carpet looks worth more than the dorm I'm iin./i

The filigree, the luxurious fabrics, the fine vases and fresh colors… I'm pretty sure that candle holder is actually gold. The fuck is this place.

Right, none of the other students are—what is the bejeweled art right there? Holy SHIT.

Rich kids, am I right?

I take in a breath, and listen to Cater.

"We're at Pomefiore! And let's… check on Rook Hunt, he's a junior." Cater mentions the bathroom bandit. "He has a blond bob and a hat with a feather—it's his trademarks."

The weirdo.

This doesn't… surprise me…? Eccentric rich types, and all that.

We are a gaggle of idiots here, huh?

"Rook is an exceptionally talented player. He was one of the best in last year's competition. However, he is a little… strange." A LITTLE, RIDDLE?

Deuce points. "Is that him sitting over there?"

I should give Deuce observation points because I was far too distracted by the opulence. The red velvet curtains, the deep, rich, purple walls—the marble of the pillars and the gold of their accents. Everything here smells of—well, there's a nice scent of old wood and floral… perfume? Potpourri? It's pleasant.

Actually I also see Mr. Handsome but with a Terrible Personality and—ah shoot, Epel. I owe him an apology.

"Woah—why do they look like they're sparkling?!" Ace knows nothing about make up and dressing nice, huh?

I do miss make up… and dresses… and igood fucking supportive bras that fit/i. Ugh, how would I even get measured here? Do they use the bad two-measurements or the three? Maybe this world uses the three measurements and I will find a perfect bra for myself in the future when I'm done mascaraing as a boy. Not poorly, at least, ibecause the boys here especially at this dorm are fucking gorgeous./i

It makes my bluff way more convincing at least… I guess… that's great…

My ego is taking massive damage right now.

It seems they're drinking… tea?

Rook is correcting Epel. "Non, non, Epel… you do not put all of your fingers in the handle of a tea cup when drinking tea! It is not elegant at all." He's gentle, at least.

"Ah… yes… pardon me…" Epel looks so devastated. Oh no.

"It stresses me out to think about our make up for the competition." Vil complains.

My God we have the King of the Drama Queens right here ladies, gentlemen—and I just realized I have NO idea what to call Grim. Gentle...monster? Uh. Gentleperson? Gentleperson. We're using that.

"Oh, aren't you curious about Felicite Cosmetics new foundation?" Vil's asking.

I am very curious and interested but at the same time… Mmm… MM. If fancy is talking about it, it's expensive. I miss luxury make up samples, myself…

Rook gives a hearty laugh. "Ah, Vil, our poisonous beauty!" I would just call him toxic but okay. "Your shine doesn't depend on the quality of cosmetics though, correct~?" Is he barbing?

Oh~?

Vil scoffs. "Of course not—but we cannot neglect quality when we are aiming for the higher ranks."

"Your sensibility is iabsolutely marvelous!/i" Rook compliments. So none of it was a barb. It's all about stroking the pretty ego, huh?

Cringe.

"They don't seem very strong at all." Grim sighs, bored of the conversation we are clearly eavesdropping on right now. "I wouldn't consider this guy a threat that I needed to take out, if I was the crook." Looks are deceiving.

"No… it's that guy's eyes, Grim…" They're so sharp. Intense. Scary, really.

"Well, let's go check out the next place!" Cater grins, and tugs us off.

There wasn't anyone else around from other dorms except us, and the crook clearly isn't from Pomefiore with the other injuries. Nor are they from Heartslabyul. So, of course we have to head off to our next destination and I am more than thankful to get out of there.

"I wonder if they're actually striking at dorms, or only on school grounds?" I voice the question as we're headed through the Courtyard. Wait—are those apples ripe?

Is there a rule against taking school apples?

"We're looking for the twins of Octavinelle now, they're sophomores—Jade and Floyd Leech." That's an unfortunate last name for them, Cater. "The rumor is these two are insanely strong on the field when playing together—other dorms are no match for them."

"Five bucks says they have the creepy twin vibe." I murmur to Deuce.

"What are bucks?" Deuce asks.

"Uh—shit. Marks." I reply.

"Deal…?" He hesitates.

I'm probably taking his lunch money or something because ALL twins have the creepy twin vibe and I don't expect that to change between universes.

Grim gasps in awe at the sight of the obvious twins not too far ahead. "They have the same face! Wow!"

Not.

Not exactly. Their eyes are different structures. I'm—in all honestly I don't know what to exactly think about this. In truth, it's a little jarring to see these tall twins. But there's something about the looks on their faces. The one on the left seems so calm, and put-together as the left with his unbuttoned clothes looks loose—and that smirking smile. The left has different set eyes than the drooping of the right. WE're not entirely up to them just yet—their hair is parted differently, a long black lock framing down past their chins. Small braids in the back. They're very unique with the teal hair… and their eyes are mismatched. One gold, one… grey?

I take in a breath and let it out. I catch the left one's gaze a second and in all honesty a chill goes down my spine.

"And they're tall too! They make anyone look small standing next to them." Ace lets out a whistle. And as someone a few inches shorter (but one inch taller than Riddle), I get that.

"They're slender, but it's clear they also look strong!" Grim's in awe.

I… do… not like them.

There's something… I feel like prey. I absolutely feel like prey.

"Let's check on them?" Deuce suggests.

I didn't realize I took a half-step back.

My instincts are telling me to get the fuck out of dodge. I… haven't… felt that before.

"If I were the culprit, I would go for these two last." Riddle says with his arms crossed in displeasure. Oh, he doesn't like them either? "Those two..."

Fair.

"I especially do not want to get close to that guy, Floyd." He finishes softly.

"AH! IT'S LITTLE GOLDFISH!" One shouts—it's the one with the droopy eyes and the crooked smirk and I basically jump out of my skin because I didn't even notice him approach us. God Damn that was a pro-predator movement and the flash of all-sharp teeth I saw—it-I think I'm understanding what's bothering me so much? Or not.

"Oh no, I'm spotted!" Riddle squeaks, horrified.

He approaches, getting far too close to Riddle. Riddle's arms are crossed, with almost disgust through his features. They're the same… grade. But the strange joy on the twin's face… uh. "Little Goldfish! What are you doing here!~ Are you playing hide and seek? It looks like such fun~?" Holy fuck he sounds like a serial killer.

"F-floyd—" He sounds… unnerved. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me by that weird nickname?!"

"You're small and red like a goldfish, right?" Floyd has some weird-ass logic.

"What a weirdo." Grim whispers.

"Woah!" How did he hear that?! "A talking little kitty! How strange! Hey, hey—I want to squeeze you~!" Oh God.

"Squeeze me?! No way!" Grim looks startled.

I've got Grim up in my arms to protect him. Wide-eyed and feeling pretty close to terrified.

The other twin approaches with such a calm voice, but I didn't notice him either. "My, my… look at everyone from Heartslabyul… together, here…" I do not like him either. This must be Jade. "Inspecting our enemies before the Spelldrive Tournament, are we?"

"Well." Cater seems a little nervous, too. "We've—got a lot of reasons for this, you know…?"

"Well, we cannot simply let such a case of espionage slide, now can we?" Uh, no, Jade, can we not. "Can you explain to us why you are stalking around us?"

Ace lets out a sigh. "He looks gentle, but his eyes are violent…"

"Hey! We're sorry for bothering you~" Cater is DEFINITELY on edge.

"W-wait." I interrupt. "I'm—um. Hello. I'm No Wei, and this is Grim. We're… we're the ones from the Ramshackle Dorm." I do not want a fight what so ever. "We're—we asked our friends from Heartslabyul to introduce us to some of the players from the dorms… since… we don't know anyone, really." I have Grim in a tight hold.

"Oh?" Jade's gaze is right on me and I basically have to summon up every bit of stern courage to face him down.

"Y-yeah." Grim replies, but he's not struggling in my hold. He's scared too.

"Ahhh, but that's so iboring/i…" Floyd complains. "We should chase them… I wanna see how fast they can run~!"

"Nope!" I immediately turn tail and head off—the rest of the crew following me in a hurry.

Deuce turns to look behind us as we race across the courtyard. "They're chasing us!"

This is the perfect time to panic.

"Hey, wait up~! I want to catch you!" Floyd's laughing—sadist!

"Who would ever wait for that?! Retreat!" Riddle has the right idea!

They stop, at least, and I give a last glance behind, I can hear Floyd-"Aw… they ran away from us…"

"Well, at least it was a bit of fun." They're both fucking sadists.

At least, we're soon out of sight, hopefully out of mind, and definitely out of earshot.

We run all the way to the statutes of the Great Seven. I've dropped Grim at this point, hands on my knees as I bend over and breathe. The terror is slowly leaving my body. Slowly.

"Scary… what was with those two…?" Grim's still just as put-off as I am at least.

Yeah, I'm scared too, Grim.

"Don't ask me—they've been like that since day one. I don't understand them at all." Riddle shakes his head. He looks… I think we're all a little off.

"They'd definitely strike back if anything was thrown at them…" Cater comments.

Ace is definitely scared. "I would never go after them."

"—well… it's about sunset. So… the next one is probably the last." Cater directs. Well, at least we're moving on. "It's a first year—Jack Howl from Savanaclaw. He's a freshie too! And a big star potential for the team this year. He's an excellent athlete and currently, all of the sporting clubs are trying to get him to join."

I keep forgetting there are sports clubs that I am entirely not interested in. My club is dorm fixing.

"He might be back at his dorm by now." Deuce remarks, using that

"Ah—it is five in the evening. Queen of Hearts, Rule Number Three-Hundred and Forty-Six states: One must not play croquet in the garden after five in the evening." We are not at the Heartslabyul Dorm right now, Riddle. These don't apply here… "I'll join up with the rest of you later—there are students that will be breaking the rules with my eyes off of them."

I'm not starting that tiff.

But Grim is! "I thought you eased up, but you haven't changed at all." Damn it Grim.

"I am trying to be more lenient with the rules…" Ah, that's a bit of huffiness, Riddle.

"Yes, of course, you're a lot kinder now, Riddle… but Grim, Riddle's seriousness is one of his best points." Might need to name Cater not as the tricks-you-into-work but maybe as a peacekeeper. No. No. He's still rude. "See you, Riddle! Good luck."

"Alright, let's go to Savanaclaw!" Ace is… a little excited that Riddle is leaving?

Ah, whatever, we have a fairly quiet trip to our next destination. I'm honestly… ah. I guess I'm worn out from meeting the Leech twins. Since they're sophomores, I doubt I'll have many more encounters with them in the future.

We are back to the Hall of Dorm Mirrors, except for mine which is right off the main campus.

It's…

Huh.

I look around at the stone-buiilt and—actually this is… a savanna environment. Now I'm curious—where are these dorms… Bones, too, litter everywhere. I don't know why, but there's such a strange, wild feel to this place that I can't entirely describe.

"Wow… so this is Savanaclaw?" Deuce looks in awe.

"There's rocks for the dorm? And why are there so many bones?" Grim asks.

"What a different atmosphere…" Ace remarks.

"Intimidating and wild, right?" Cater asks, I guess. Sort of.

"So… who is this Jack? What kind of guy is he?" We're not really familiar with other freshmen yet, Ace is right…

I know we'll start having joint classes soon and seek help from upper classmen… so… maybe we'll become more familiar with this Jack in the future.

"He's deeply tan, with silver hair—he's very broad, tall, and with fluffy ears and tail—they're large too, like him." Cater describes as he references his phone.

Now I'm starting to understand what type of extrovert Cater is.

"A fluffy, big tail?" Grim asks, and points. "Like that one over there jogging alone?"

Good eyes, kitty cat.

"Bingo! Good eyes, Grim!" Cater laughs a little.

I turn to look at the… another large guy. He's tall, buff, with tanned skin and starkly contrasting silver-white… Oh My God those are dog ears. He's got dog ears and a fluffy doggy tail. Oh no he's SO CUTE. I want to pet those soft-looking ears forever! Don't ask and don't try, No.

"First the tall twins, then this giant?!" Ace, you're just short.

"There's a reason why all the sports clubs want him." Cater remarks.

"And that build of him is good for hand-to-hand combat." Deuce remarks… hm. Punk…

"We should talk to him; maybe he's seen someone strange lingering around him lately?" I suggest but I realize that Grim is already making his bold way over to probably make this an unfortunate situation.

Cater's reassurances fall on my deaf ears—and whatever else he's saying as I go after Grim.

"Hey! You! Spikey-hair!" Grim calls up to the tall freshman.

"Oh damn it." I cuss softly.

Jack looks down at him curiously, and maybe a bite confused. He has stopped his jog to put his hands on his hips.

"You might be targeted! So—I'll be protecting you!" I am going to die of second-hand embarrassment right now, Grim. "How is that? Great, right?"

"God damn it, Grim." I mumble as I catch up.

"And who the Hell are you—I don't need anyone in my way." This Jack Howl seems lightly offended.

I've gotten closer, so I have a better view of him. He's… wow, he looks big, dependable, strong, and probably stubborn. There's chord wrapped around his neck, with a tooth as a charm, I think? He's in his gym clothes, too, but—wow. He's just big. Tall, broad, and oh—his ears are tipped grey. I want to pet those floofy things so bad right now.

"Grim! That's not how you talk to people!" Cater is both panicked, and scolding.

Grim seems so excited—until he's grasped and muted. I don't stop it.

"I'm so sorry about him—but please listen to us." Cater is definitely trying to socially smooth this over.

"Who the Hell are all of you, and why are you here? Protect me?" Oh Damn Jack is angry and he is bristling.

I've got my hands up in that iI don't want any trouble/i position.

"There's been a string of cases recently—Spelldrive Tournament players are being targeted." Deuce explains without hesitation; he's basically squared up with Jack. Oh right, punk. "They're getting injured."

"And we're looking for the culprit." The other half of the brain cell, Ace, finishes.

"And what does that have to do with me?" He's less insulted, and more annoyed, at least.

"We're checking on students that are most likely to be the next targets so we can hopefully find the culprit." Cater explains. "Would you cooperate with us?"

"I refuse. I'm fine on my own. I don't need protection." Rejected by Jack.

I can't help opening my mouth. "There's safety in numbers…"

"I don't need it. Plus…" He looks away, a moment, how his ears flatten just slightly. Does… he know… something? "I probably won't' be a target. Later."

And… off he goes.

Jogging off.

That doesn't… huh.

"How awkward! Leaves a bad taste in my mouth." Says the awkward-maker himself, Grim!

"The way you were talking would annoy anyone." Ace adds in.

"Ugh! Humans are so sensitive it's annoying! Anything bothers them!" Grim scoffs.

We have such a long way to go and I'm already exhausted. I want dinner and to sleep now.

And that's when a whole group of those eared-Savanaclaw arrive; there's like six of them and they're demanding what we are doing here. Great. We're probably in for some sort of scuffle and I am not up for that, either.

"Oh—Heartslabyul students?" One asks, and that's partially right.

I wish Riddle had come… fuck.

"Ah, the red brat's minions." Nevermind, I do not wish Riddle had come with what that white-haired student said.

"You can't just leave after stepping in on our territory like that." Are those bear ears?

"Oh, not again-" Deuce groans.

"Sorry! We were giving the Ramshackles a tour! We were just leaving—so sorry to disturb you!" Now Ace is trying to talk this out. We are outmatched.

"No, no, come iplay/i with us." The… are those black cat ears? Fuck why is that so cute?!

"We can play a hunting game—with all of you as prey!"

Fuck.

"Knock it off, all of you." I turn to see… unfortunately, a very familiar person that I did not want to encounter again. I forget his name, but those lion ears and sharp green eyes are unmistakable.

"Fuck, it's that asshole." I mumble, running a hand through my hair. I'm so tuckered out from everything—I think I'm still worn from trying to die on peaches a couple days ago.

"Housewarden!"

"They were trespassing on our territory."

"We should teach them a lesson!" I do not have any fondness for this trio.

"Oh, aren't you the group I met at the cafeteria?" I recognize him—the big, fluffy ears and messy sandy hair. The one about…

What was it?

Grim is immediately angry. "Sandwich stealer!"

"That's not my name! It's masculine—Ruggie Bucchi!" Sounds Italian? Do they have Italians in Twisted Wonderland? Do they have pizza?

I may not survive here.

The one guy—the one… the guy I stepped on his tail is taking a few closer steps with his arms crossed, glaring at ime/i. "Ah… now I recognize you… the one that stepped on my tail at the garden, right?"

I have my hands up, again. "I apologized—and I don't want any trouble."

"WHAT?!" God why. "You stepped on his TAIL!?"

"What an insult! That disgusting runt?!"

"Sorry doesn't cut it!" I do not like this fan club of students for this rude guy, either.

"Ohhh! Now I know where I've seen you before: the gardens." I do not like Ruggie's grin, either.

"Housewarden Leona, Ruggie—why don't we beat them up for a lesson?"

"Shut up, idiots." Leona commands. He's so… "If we get into a fight with other players, we'll be disqualified from the Spelldrive Tournament. Do you want that?"

"What, we have to let the prey go? They invaded!"

"No, not that—let's play a game of Spelldrive, instead." A hand on his hips, and an evil cat-grin on his face. That one emoticon… :3 … I… His face looks like an emoticon right now.

Evil, evil cat here.

"Spelldrive?"

"We can use as much magic as we want during practice after all, it's not against the school rules." Leona's still smirking as he looks at us.

There's a shi shi shi laugh from Ruggie, "Leona, how mean! These weaklings won't last a game!"

Sadistic fucks, all of 'em.

"We're not backing down, then!" GRIM NO.

"Of all the times to not have magic." I mumble.

"We can't refuse either way, they won't let us go." Deuce is resigned to this fate.

Ace grins. "Cater, remember, watch us settle this, okay?"

"Really, you guys? I guess we have no choice. No, keep an eye on the sidelines. Try to convey things, right?" Our upperclassman replies without trying to protest this. Thanks, Cater. "But—you're going to have to leave this one out, Leona." Cater gestures to me. "You can't use magic against someone without it, right? That'd probably disqualify your whole dorm…"

I'm very surprised at this, looking at the junior with confusion that he'd… Oh.

Oh, there's a big risk without magic I'll get really hurt. I catch the look on his face, too.

This isn't going to go well.

"Fine. You—keep him on the sidelines." Leona orders the one with cat ears, who comes over and snags my wrist, tugging me along.

"Ohhh—right! That student without magic! I remember you." I'm being mocked.

"Stop that." Leona scolds. "That Herbivore's a Housewarden with Crowley's ear. Not much of one." I see that smirk, asshole. "It's above your pay grade."

"Yes—Housewarden." He shuts up, and his grip is a bit more loose as he attempts to tug, but I slip my wrist out.

"I'll follow, don't worry." I have my hands up, and gesture for them to lead the way.

"How…?" He looks confused. But we're headed somewhere…

I guess a mini-Spelldrive stadium for the dorm?

This isn't… going to go well, is it?