So, the fairies we're dealing with look like trees—so they're probably weak to fire. "Grim!" I call out, as he's the only one with a jewel. "I need you to use fire to scare them!"

"GOT IT!" I'm so glad Grim's listening when it comes to battle. Honestly, how he jumps forward and spews flames is great—and at the same time if it wasn't so clear we'd be starting a forest fire.

I hear a lot more of that strange bell-jingling—but humans can't hear fairy speech, or the languages of the fae, according to Sebek. I wonder if him, being half, means he has trouble too?

It's honestly not much to drive them away. I'm relieved, let's be honest. A bit of fire and they've scattered back into the woods.

"So that's it?" Ruggie, and a few others, sound pretty disappointed. I at least got a good picture of this event, because I doubt anyone's going to believe us if we told them we got attacked by a fairy gang. At least, not at this school… weirdly enough.

"Why did they attack us?" Brilliant question, Epel.

"Wood fae are scared of fire." Leona, for some reason, has a knowledge of fae? I… am a little surprised? But at the same time if they're wood-based, fire burns wood, so that all checks out. "Bunny had a good idea of using Grim's fire to scare them off, but that doesn't mean they won't be back." And why is even his delivery is lazy.

"Is there a reason why…?" Ruggie asks.

"When the mine was active, the miners caused a forest fire because of their shit-tier bonfires. So the faeiries of the forest call it the ired flowers/i, and hate it. So they came to try and extinguish it, and they'll probably try again." I… so maybe Leona absorbs knowledge through osmosis of sleeping or something? Or… maybe… private prince education? Maybe with those ears he can understand them? I have no idea.

"Correct!" A ghost… tells us. I keep forgetting about them and I'm not sure why.

"So, where did you learn this, Leona?" I have to ask, of course. I'm not very deep into the history of Twisted Wonderland, myself.

"Class." He responds. "The freshmen haven't gone over this, but the sophomores have… or should have." Why is he, of all people, miffed?

The sophomores and juniors look pretty sheepish.

"Whatever." He sighs.

"Are the fairies going to come back?" Epel asks. "What should we do?"

"Do I have to direct everything myself…?" Leona groans. "Just—get some sticks, stand around the fire, and light them and scare them off unless these herbivores are around to help." He points to us. Oh? Help? Why are we offering help, again?

"Why are you volunteering our services, again?" I ask Leona.

Who gives me a smirk. "Isn't that what friends do?"

"Aw, you're acknowledging us as friends now, Leona~?" I go over, and I have his hand, giving it a squeeze. "Maybe next time you'll say ibest/i friends."

He's got a scowl, so I've definitely won this round—but he's right, I'd help.

"You two can fuck off." Leona's harsh today. "I'm taking a nap."

"Well, we'll rotate people protecting the fire…" Ruggie sighs.

"And we're going to go look at other clubs! Bye!" Oh there he goes.

I'm not even surprised to see Grim heading off already, and I follow. "Good luck!" I call.

"How about we go to the lake? I'm getting hungry!" Grim's number one concern in life is food. I'm not really surprised.

Well, it's not a terrible hike. The scenery is calm—and in all honesty I like the peace and quiet for a little bit. Grim is a bit ahead of me, and that's fine—it's just nice to have a bit of time to relax and enjoy nature. Even if it's probably going to involve some bullshit shenanigans in the future. I mean, every little task we've been send on by Crowley has ended basically the same way: Blot monster and bullshit. I'm hoping this breaks the norm after three star-studded adventures of this, but I really do doubt it.

At least this school redux isn't boring, but at the same time maybe it's a little too exciting and I have too little magic to combat it.

"HEY! DEUCE! JACK!" Grim calls once they're in sight—and it's clear by the set up they were fishing… ah, good one.

I just quietly approach and wave. I do not want to be a part of this.

I'm feeling pretty cranky lately… I wonder why.

Yeah, there goes Jack growling. "You scared our prey, Grim!"

I don't think Grim actually knows anything about fishing or fishing etiquette, but that's neither here nor there—or maybe that is part of the point. I'll interfere if needed, but otherwise, it's a good opportunity for Grim to learn some courtesy toward others.

Hopefully.

"It's not my fault you suck at it!" No. Grim has gone the exact opposite way. Like a child.

Oh boy, do I have my work cut out for me.

"Have you made any progress?" I ask softly, and I realize pretty immediately that is the exactly wrong question to ask.

"None, yet—we just started." Deuce frowns. He's disappointed. "So stay quiet, Grim."

"Fine. But… you're probably supposed to move the rod. Like prey." I do wonder about Grim's experiences before we met. He doesn't really talk about it, and I don't necessarily ask much; it's probably touchy. "I'll show you how!"

This sounds like it's going to end in disaster… so I obviously ready my camera. "We're supposed to be neutral…"

Ah, whatever. It's Night Raven College.

Journalistic integrity is dead anyway.

Yeah, watching him bob the rod around and the fish leave is—yep, I take a snapshot of both Deuce and Jack's anger. That is one for my personal collection. Besides, they might need to see how they look one day, and it's a great opportunity.

"I was just helping…" Grim grumbles, as the two scold him. But, then he perks up. "W-wait! L-look at that shadow!"

Oh, there is a shadow. So, lake monster…?

"That's huge… it's enough to feed everyone! We have to catch it, Jack!" Deuce is suddenly perked up.

I have this weird, bad feeling. Wonder why?

"I think it might be too big for us…" Jack comments, worried.

"It's… surfacing?" Now is the perfect time to panic, Deuce.

And a big, monstrous splash comes as it breaks the surface!

There is a. A. I. What?

The wave of water knocks me over—and I end up hitting my head on a rock. My vision swims, and everything goes blurry for a… a bit…

The next thing I know, Grim's poking me in the cheek, with Deuce and Jack frowning in concern. "Another head injury?"

"He's fine." The ghost that's looking over me declares. "Just take it easy—and rest early today. You don't have a concussion."

"Thanks…" I rub my head where it hurts, and sigh. At least nothing I have is damaged. Night Raven College bags are apparently waterproof. Who knew?

Except now there's a very familiar jingle from earlier—I look up, and this fairy is… watery? Wow. I. Okay I get a picture of the new fairy gang we're encountering. By their watery appearance, I assume they're water fairies. And they're probably pissed about… the fishing.

My head hurts.

Deuce scowls. "I don't know what they're saying, but I know when I'm being mocked." Ah, there's Mr. Delinquent coming back to us. We should just ignore them and get on with it, but that's not how it's going to go with students from Night Raven College, of course. "I'm sick of this interference—Jack, let's get 'em!"

Boys.

"Got it!"

Do I watch several males punch water fairies? Yes. Is it good photo opportunities for the paper? Also yes. Is this stupid? Oh, God yes. Lord knows I've seen stupid and done stupid in my life but I think this is slot three for me.

They leave, at least.

And it's back to fishing… successfully, might I add! I'm pretty proud of them getting quite a few fish after all of that nonsense, and I'm sitting down in the shade, under a tree, resting as directed—and in the perfect spot for several photos. I can't believe something known as a ghost camera has a zoom function—but it's awesome.

Occasionally, someone steps by and checks on me—and these are people I don't even know.

i"No Wei, you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Prefect, do you want water?"

"I'm okay right now, thanks."

"No, how's your head?"

"I'll be fine—it's not my first rodeo, right?"/i

I appreciate the consideration.

I get up and go over just as the ghost approaches, getting a good group shot of the pretty amazing haul they brought in!

"That's a lot of fish." The ghost states the obvious, but I really don't see a brain in there…

Must be what Ace and Deuce's heads look like.

"The mission clears when you cook it, remember." The ghost so helpfully reminds us of the obvious. Which is why my theory is proven true, immediately. Good scientific method here.

Actually, I don't remember all the steps in the scientific method but that's neither here nor there.

"There are herbs, vegetables, and other cooking-items at the campsite for the sports teams to use." That's nice of them at least. Good ghost.

"Let's go back." Deuce says. "But uh, what should we make…? I'm not good at cooking. Jack?"

"...Not much…" Jack admits. "We can just fry it?"

I can cook, but, do they want my help?

The next problem, as we join that group, is that basically no one knows how to gut, clean, and prep fish. I sigh, because they're hopeless. I've only done it a few times, but it's better than nothing.

It's a simple process to get a bunch of them gathered around as I carefully go through the process of getting this prepped for consumption. While some fish can be consumed raw—I wouldn't consume this raw. And, because unbiased journalism is so dead it's dust, I take a few pictures of them prepping after I've cleaned up.

So, it's on to cooking—and it's decided to grill with some salt. Solid choice.

It really IS delicious, though, and I sit back pretty content, handing the leftover bit to Grim to eat.

"Soooo good!" Grim's eaten like three fish.

"It's perfect." Deuce says with a smile. He's one that feels accomplished and pleased after tasks are done.

"It's just grilled with salt… but something about eating around a bonfire makes it taste great." Jack, it's called feeling of friendship.

"Prefect, are you feeling alright? How's your head?" The very considerate Deuce asks.

"I think I'm good now—but Grim and I need to go look over the other groups. So—c'mon Grim." I'm up—full. Yeah, I feel better.

"Aw… I want more!" Grim, so, so greedy.

"Just rest a little bit longer?" Deuce pleads a little. He seems pretty concerned.

"Yeah—just. A bit. Let Grim gorge himself a bit. You'll need it with all the walking you're doing." Jack's being reasonable, too.

"Fine, fine…" I sigh, settling back. Listening on them plan their next steps as Grim devours yet another fish.

I could nap—full, warm...

The next thing I know, Grim's shaking me awake. "Hey! It's time to go!"

I grumble a little, and sit up. The… well, at least Deuce and Jack are gone. I let out a big yawn, and stretch. Really, what happened again? God, I just fell asleep, too—luckily I didn't have a concussion this time.

"They went off. We should too…" He looks like he ate a lot more fish. We might have to start limiting his consumption.

"Yeah… yeah." I yawn, stretching a bit before we head off. "Mines?"

"Mhm! Mines." Grim doesn't seem paranoid about going back there, but I swear sometimes he has a short memory unless food's involved.

I'm the one that's nervous when we arrive. The blot-leftover, or at least that's my theory of what that thing was, is still an imagine in my mind. I don't necessarily have nightmares about these experiences, but they do keep me up with the what if, like, what if we hadn't've stopped Riddle or Leona? ...Would they have died… and those things of Blot been all that's left? The thought horrifies me to my very core, but it's not something I've actually spoken about, to anyone.

Besides…

I hear… their thoughts. That's just weird.

Who could I even talk to about that? How do I even broach the subject?

Ugh, but we have to go in for journalistic integrity, or some bullshit like that.

Admittedly, I'm pretty frightened at the possibility of what we might encounter.

But—luckily, it's just that one guy, ah, Silver. The Diasomnia Sophomore and member of the Equestrian Club—and not some monster.

"And we're here to watch your suffering!" Grim greets.

God Almighty.

"Oh, you two…" He doesn't seem entirely friendly, and I'm not going to push my luck. "So… you're observing the mining?"

"Mhm! But you're just standing here. ...You need to find Magistones, right?" Grim asks, and he's smiling far too brightly.

There's some frustration, I think, on his face, he leans a little into his hand with a frown. Silver's a hard guy to read… "Swinging around blindly won't help us." He starts. "We're… revising our knowledge."

Riddle's voice cuts through loud and clear. "Is there anyone that remembers the specifics on finding Magistones in a mine setting?"

"That is something we just went over in class! I recall, perfectly!" Sebek's expression is a bit of an arrogant, superior smirk. Methinks he has a bit of an ego. "You locate them with focusing for their weak pulses of magical energy which requires extreme concentration that craftsman hone from years of practice. At our skill levels… we can probably, maybe, feel a ten-meter diameter."

"Grim, you can smell them, right?" I ask quietly.

"Yeah…?" He responds.

"Figured."

"We should pinpoint a location, and mine there." Sebek has a good idea, at least.

Grim points to a spot not too far away, looking at me, and the spot again. Oh—so he's already… that's impressive.

"Extracting them requires using the pik to break the surface, and then carefully mining around the stone with a hammer and chisel until they can be removed." Sebek finishes.

"That is wonderful, Sebek. I am impressed at your attention to detail and memory from your classes." That is very high praise from Riddle.

"Thank you." Ah, yeah, we've got another ego-maniac here, in the form of Sebek. "Not bad, a compliment from the top sophomore… I graciously accept."

"Good job, Sebek… you've always had good grades in lectures—I need to follow that example." Well, while Silver's face looks severe, he's being very nice.

Maybe he just has resting bitch face?

"Don't lump me in with you—you're always sleeping in class! This is just the bare basics, anyway, Silver." Okay, so I've got a relationship profile here: Sebek doesn't like Silver for some reason. Not sure why, but that is some hard core animosity there. My gosh, Sebek. Chill. The guy was nice to you.

"I don't think so… I don't remember that…" Grim frowns.

"You sleep during class too." I remind him. I recall that, but, again, journal neutrality that's going to get broken eventually because we are two for two on that.

"Now with that reminder, let us start our exploration." Riddle announces to the team, and they disperse.

Now, Sebek finds the first gem with an exuberant yell that echoes everywhere—and Grim scolds him.

Of course Grim has found someone to spat with.

"Nothing matters—it meets our requirements!" The freshman Diasomnia student declares. Actually, I should ask why he's wearing a raincoat.

"—actually, it's… too early to celebrate." Silver cuts in.

Raring up with immediate hostility, Sebek almost snarls at him. "Being a sore loser already...wait—what's coming toward us?"

"Five marks says fairies." I say to be ignored.

"Get ready!" Silver calls.

"Of course!" Sebek replies. The two of them assume ready stances that tell me they've fought together for a long time.

The familiarity they have being side-by-side in a conflict is basically like war buddies, or something. They're literally in perfect sync with one another. I guess they know each other? Could they be brothers? I—half brothers? Silver doesn't share those fae traits like the sharp teeth or the slit pupils, or even the very brightly-colored eyes that definitely do glow in this dim setting.

That'd explain Sebek's animosity—step-brothers, or half-brothers.

The two have their pik axes like weapons, ready to fight. That's—pretty impressive, at least.

Fire-made fairies jingle and appear—they're clearly raring to go and I wonder why we didn't see them our first trip here.

Maybe because we defeated the Blot monster that we welcomed them back into their natural habitat after having to abandon it…? I don't know.

Sebek frowns. "A fairy, here…? And appearing after I found the Magistone? Are they after my stone?"

The fairies aggressively lunge toward Sebek.

"That seems to be an accurate assumption, Sebek!" Riddle calls out. "Get ready for a fight, everyone! No—do you have a strategy?"

"Yep!" I call out.

"Hmph—do these tiny fairies think they can stand against those that have been trained in the Valley of Thorns?" Is that where those two are from? I'm not entirely familiar—but Sebek is at least giving me an inkling that I'm right about him and Silver being from the same place and training together. "We found this, and we're keeping it! Silver, let's take them out!"

"Of course—so no one gets hurt!" Silver is just as dutiful.

But that postulating isn't important! We've got a fight on our hands!

"Sebek, Silver, swing at them like you're batting—Grim! Fight fire with fire and get them back with your flames! They're the hottest, right?!"

"RIGHT!" I here several shouts.

"Everyone that has a weapon, swing AT them, and dodge the flames—okay? Uh."

Honestly, I'm not really impressed by the fairies here, because they're driven away in like a minute, tops.

"I'm really disappointed." Grim says, as the fairies of fire retreat deep into the mines.

"Same." I reply.

"That… was fast." Silver remarks.

"Like they were going to cause us problems in the first place." Haughty, isn't he? Sebek's got quite the ego.

"Mining… and fighting fairies—is that part of this?" Riddle questions. "Difficult..."

Could be. Coach Vargas sucks sometimes.

"This is inothing/i to me!" Of course, Sebek declares.

Yeah, I adopted another problem freshman, didn't I? Oh well.

"Because I promised Lord Malleus I would not let him down!" Wait, what? Who. Right. Isn't Malleus the Housewarden of Diasomnia?

He mentioned him at lunch, right?

I've heard so much of this mysterious figure, but I've never seen him. Sometimes I wonder if he actually exists.

Well, at least I got a couple good photos.

"Sebek—you're at your best when Malleus is involved." Riddle remarks.

"Of course! Lord Malleus is amazing!" I. Is. I'm not sure if that smile is cute, or Sebek is weird—but he seems so, so happy talking about this guy. It's… I don't really understand how this works. Is this a senpai thing or is this like… more than that?

Riddle looks like he made a mistake. Because wow, Sebek is loud. "Please keep your voice down…"

Yeah, he's loud.

"We need to get the badge, now!" Sebek declares excitedly.

"...You need a ghost for that…" Grim remarks.

"You rang?" And like the Devil, a ghost appears!

Ugh, I jumped.

And Grim screeched. "Don't scare me!"

"Sorry, sorry, now show me the gem?" The ghost asks, while I've got Grim clinging to my leg.

We live with ghosts… ...and still…

"Yes! We have procured a Magistone!" And Sebek holds it out proudly.

"Mhm, that checks out. Please take this Vargas Badge." The ghost declares—and Sebek snags it happily.

"Yes!" He's kind of adorable, being so cheery.

"So that's it…" Silver observes the badge that Sebek is holding out proudly.

"Yes! We can report to Lord Malleus and Lilia proudly of our accomplishment!" So he also holds Lilia in high esteem too? I'll remember that about Sebek. I guess he's like Jack and holds a lot of stock in hierarchy.

"Could I get a picture?" I ask, politely. It's a good shot.

"Of course! How considerate you are, for a human!" Sebek is complimenting me but it feels a little backhanded.

He wraps an arm around Silver, and I get two photos. One for the paper, and one for Sebek. I think he'd like a copy.

I hold the developing photo out to Sebek and tuck the other in my bag. "Here." I offer.

"Hm?" He looks curious, taking it—and seeing the developing picture. "Oh? One for me?" The fellow freshman asks.

"You wanted to report to your Housewarden and Vice-Housewarden, right? So send that too." I offer.

Uh. I didn't expect him to get teary-eyed, but—that's awkward. "Y-yes! Of course!"

"Well—we have to go now. Thank you!" I gesture to Grim, and we high-tail it out of there!

But I think we've got a good start to the first day! But I need to sit down and write out some notes, and take notes on the photos I want to use as well. We've observed most of the teams, and at least a bit of each task. That's a good way to start this all out. I'm not even certain what team we missed, yet, but I don't have all the sports clubs memorized.

Overall, we are definitely holding up our end of the task. "Let's stop by the cabin, Grim."

"Hm? Why?" Grim asks.

"Bathroom." I reply.

"Ohhh, well… okay."

And off we go. I wouldn't do this if I didn't have access to indoor plumbing.