Author's Note: We now return to your regularly scheduled Scarabian shenanigans.

It was the morning after Devon and Grim's literal flight from Scarabia, and the patrols who had chased them to Octavinelle were gathered near the dorm's mirror portal, trying to stay out of Kalim's earshot as they discussed their next move.

"Can you believe those two from Ramshackle?" Scarabia A asked indignantly. "They just had to go and run off to Octavinelle. Do they have any idea how hard that's going to make things for us here?"

"And for them to steal the magic carpet on top of that...," Scarabia B added. He shuddered. "I don't even want to think about what the dorm head will do if he finds out. What do we do now?"

"I think we should bring this to vice dorm head Jamil and see what he has to say," Scarabia A suggested.

Before the group could move to find Jamil, their attention was called to the mirror portal as Azul, Jade, and Floyd stepped through it and into the dorm with Devon and Grim following close behind, partially hidden behind the twins at Azul's behest in case the Scarabia students tried to grab them again. Kalim's magic carpet floated merrily along next to them. "Good morning, gentlemen," Azul greeted cheerfully, as if the fight from the previous evening never happened. "Mind if we stop in for a visit?"

"Crap of craps, it's hot up in here!" Floyd commented, wiping the sweat that was already forming on his forehead. He turned to look at Devon. "You guys weren't kiddin', Shrimpy; it really does feel like the middle of summer."

All of the gathered Scarabia students took a reflexive step back. "You…! Y-You're those guys from Octavinelle that beat us up last night!" Scarabia A exclaimed as he pointed an accusing finger at them.

"What do you want here?" Scarabia B asked, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice.

"Ah, yes. I'd like to apologize for that unfortunate business last night," Azul said with a smarmy grin before shaking his head remorsefully. "From my perspective, it looked as though you all were bullying a pair of defenseless animals so I stepped in to defend them out of the goodness of my heart."

Devon puffed her cheeks up in annoyance at Azul's comment but didn't say anything, choosing instead to muss an equally annoyed Grim's fur in an attempt to calm him down.

"After hearing their story, however, it became clear to me that we had inadvertently aided a pair of thieves that had made off with your dorm leader's magic carpet," Azul continued. "Once I realized my mistake, I decided to take personal responsibility for apprehending the criminals as well as returning the carpet to its' rightful owner. That's what brings us here today."

"Mmmgh… This ain't fair, I tell ya," Grim grumbled as he glared at Azul. The magic carpet nodded in agreement.

The Scarabia students exchanged confused looks. "O-Oh, umm…" one of them began.

"Thank you…?" said another, though it came out as more of a question.

"It's almost time for morning training, you guys," someone called out to them. Everyone turned to see Jamil headed their way. "If you're late, Kalim will-gh?!" As soon as Jamil caught sight of Azul and the twins, his eyes widened in shock and he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Why, hello there, Jamil!" Azul greeted, seemingly oblivious to his classmate's shock/horror reaction to see him. "How are you this fine morning?"

"What business do you three have here?" Jamil demanded.

"Our home isn't terribly hospitable this time of year," Jade explained.

"So we've been spendin' our holidays in the dorm. Aha ha~!" Floyd finished.

"Is…that right?" Jamil asked, still trying to wrap his head around what was happening. There was no way this little visit was just a coincidence. He knew from experience that it likely wasn't good news for him, either.

"Now then, where might Kalim be?" Azul asked. "We're here to return his magic carpet."

"I… I see," Jamil said, plastering on his usual polite smile. "I'd be happy to take the carpet off your hands and return it to him."

"Oh no, I'm afraid I must insist on taking it to him myself," Azul declined. "The way I hear it, this carpet is a legendary artifact-a national treasure, some would say. If it were returned and damages were discovered later, Octavinelle would be held responsible. We can't have that, now, can we? As such, I would much prefer to hand it over to Kalim in person and have him inspect it himself."

"Kalim wouldn't notice or care if it was damaged," Jamil argued, planting himself firmly in front of Azul to block his way into the dorm. "Just let me take it to him, alright?"

Azul quirked a brow. "You know, I have to wonder why you're being so resistant, Jamil. You don't have to worry-I won't even charge my twenty percent finder's fee like I usually would."

"Consider it our way of apologizing for our behavior toward your residents last night," Jade chimed in.

"We also brought you some seafood pizzas as a gift," Floyd added, nodding toward some boxes in his hands. "You wouldn't want 'em gettin' cold, wouldja?"

"The point is, I would feel much better if I delivered the carpet to Kalim in person. He's awake by now, isn't he?" Azul asked.

"Like I've been trying to tell you, he's not up for any-hey!" Jamil began to protest, only for Azul to sidestep him effortlessly and stride confidently through the dorm's front entrance. "Azul! You can't just barge in like that!"

Jade's mouth twisted into an amused grin as he and the rest of the group watched Jamil chase after Azul. "Shall we, Devon?" he asked as Devon stepped out from behind them with Grim perched on her shoulder and Zephyr hovering next to her.

"You'd better keep up, Shrimpy," Floyd called to her from over his shoulder, already heading into the dorm. "You won't wanna miss a second of this!"

Devon nodded as she followed after the twins. "Sure thing." She waited for their longer strides to put a little distance between them before she lowered her voice to whisper to Grim, Zephyr, and the carpet. "This is so much nicer now that we're not on the receiving end."

"Seriously. I almost forgot how pushy those three can be when they really wanna," Grim replied. The carpet nodded while Zephyr pulsed in agreement as they all moved to catch up to Jade and Floyd.

"Hm?" Kalim looked up when he heard someone enter the dorm lounge. His expression brightened into a welcoming smile when he saw Azul walk in with Jamil hot on his heels, the twins and the Ramshackle duo following close behind. "Oh, hey there, Azul! What brings you here?"

"Good morning, Kalim. Always a pleasure," Azul greeted cordially. He looked around the lounge, taking in all the decorations. "My goodness! Scarabia never fails to impress! I'd say it gets grander each time I visit. It's a veritable winter wonderland back on the main campus, but you'd never know it in here! Why, it's warm enough to make you think it's the middle of summer." He looked out toward the sand dunes in the distance. "This is an ideal location for a resort, you know. If you decided to open one, I bet you'd have vacationers arriving in droves."

"You think so? I don't really have the savvy for something like that, but I appreciate the compliments!" Kalim replied.

"At any rate, I came by today to return your magic carpet," Azul continued as he gestured toward the carpet. "It decided to pay our dorm a visit last night, you see."

"Oh no! Did it run off again? I'm sorry to put you to all that trouble," Kalim apologized.

Azul waved his hand dismissively. "It's no trouble at all. Though coming here does make me rather curious..." He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I wasn't aware Scarabia was spending the holidays in the dorm as well."

"Yep, we sure are! I take it Octavinelle is doing the same?" Kalim asked.

Azul nodded with a smile. "Why, yes! What a fine coincidence this is!" He tapped his chin thoughtfully, trying to look as if an idea had just occurred to him. "Actually, what would you say to taking this opportunity to improve the relations between our dorms?"

"Wha-?!" Jamil's mind was racing a mile a minute as he tried to figure out a way to get Azul and the twins to leave without looking too suspicious. He couldn't risk bringing any more outsiders into the dorm. Devon and Grim had been a calculated risk; Grim wasn't sharp enough to figure out that something was amiss on his own and while Devon was easily the more perceptive of the two, Jamil was confident he could keep her under control if he kept playing to her attraction to him (something that still caused an unpleasant feeling to take root in his stomach, but he squashed it down for the sake of his plan). The Octavinelle trio, on the other hand… Well, all three of them were wild cards of the worst variety.

"I confess I'm rather curious about this unique method of studying Scarabia has adopted for the break," Azul continued. "I imagine I could learn a lot by observing the goings on at this dorm."

Kalim's smile widened. "Of course! We would be honored to you here!"

"I'm afraid I must advise against this, Kalim," Jamil interjected, forcing his way between Kalim and Azul.

Kalim blinked. "What, why?"

"The whole point of remaining on campus over break is to study so we can catch up to the other dorms," Jamil reminded him. "Giving the leader of one of those enemy dorms an inside look at our study methods defeats the entire purpose."

"Oh, come on, Jamil. "Enemy" is a bit much, don't you think? Besides, you invited our Ramshackle friends over, didn't you?" Kalim pointed out.

"W-Well… Er… Yes, that's true," Jamil conceded before turning to Azul with a glare. "Look, I'm saying this for your own good, Azul."

Azul nodded, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. "Of course, Jamil. I understand completely. On some level, other dorms are always going to be our rivals in terms of academic standing." He turned and walked back over to the Leech brothers. "I believe we'd best take our leave, boys. Kalim, Jamil, best of luck with your training." He sighed sadly, a look of exaggerated melancholy on his face. "Looks like it'll be just the three of us again this year, spending the holiday stuck indoors in the dead of winter. Ah, well, such is fate."

Jade heaved a heavy sigh. "And after we went to all the trouble of capturing and returning the carpet…"

"It made such a mess in the Mostro Lounge too," Floyd added.

The Octatrio all heaved the saddest, heaviest sigh they could in perfect unison as they walked slowly and dejected back toward the entryway to the lounge. Devon and Grim had to bite the insides of their cheeks to keep from laughing while Zephyr took full advantage of the fact that only Devon could understand what their pulses meant and began let out the Wisp equivalent of a cackle.

"They're layin' it on a little thick, aren't they?" Grim asked Devon in a whisper. "Ain't no way anyone's gonna fall for-"

"Not so fast!" Kalim called after them, prompting Jamil to heave an exasperated sigh of his own. "Azul's one of the top mages in the entire school! I think Scarabia can only benefit from having him here. Besides, turning away a guest at the door would bring shame to the Asim family name."

"My goodness, Kalim! Your kind and generous soul never ceases to amaze me!" Azul exclaimed with a bright smile. "Of course, I would be honored to share my insights with you."

"Floyd and I would be more than happy to assist with any cooking and cleaning that needs done," Jade offered.

"We're old pros from workin' in the Lounge," Floyd added.

Kalim beamed at the suggestions. "Oh, that would be wonderful! It would help to ease Jamil's workload too!"

"I don't need any help," Jamil began, only to sigh again and shake his head. "Ugh, forget it. You're clearly not listening to a word I'm saying anymore."

"That settles it!" Kalim continued excitedly as he clapped his hands together. "Come to the courtyard once you put your things away. It's time for some special training!"

The day's training was surprisingly pleasant. Kalim remained in a good mood the entire day and the other Scarabia students, though still wary and clearly walking on eggshells around their dorm head, seemed much less on edge as the day went on. At least, that was the case for most of the Scarabia students. Devon had noticed that Jamil's mood only seemed to get worse as the day went on. He'd never been the most outwardly expressive person, but she could've sworn she saw him sending venomous glares in Azul's direction multiple times throughout the day. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of it, but between Kalim's frequent requests for her to watch as he showed off his magic and having to dodge Floyd's attempts to toss her around like a ragdoll, she didn't have much time to dwell on it.

"Looks like we got happy Kalim today," Grim said once the Octavinelle boys arrived to debrief. The three of them had been put up in an empty four-person dorm room across the hall from the room Devon and Grim were using.

"I agree. That's the Kalim we've come to know," Azul concurred.

"When he gets in one of his moods, his eyes get all narrow and he gets this really cold, scary tone when he talks," Grim explained.

"One of his moods, eh? Are you both certain that's what's happening here?" Jade asked.

Floyd looked over at his brother in confusion. "Whaddaya mean?"

"I mean that you're prone to mood swings yourself, Floyd, but Kalim doesn't give me that impression," Jade explained. "I have a sneaking suspicion that something else is going on here."

"Jamil says he thinks it's because of Scarabia's crappy performance in the Spelldrive tournament and on exams," Devon recalled. "He thinks Kalim actin' erratically because he feels responsible."

"For real? Since when does Sea Otter care about that kinda stuff?" Floyd wondered.

Grim tilted his head. "Sea what now?"

"He's talking about Kalim. Floyd has a habit of giving people nicknames based off of sea creatures," Jade explained. "For example, Grim, your cute, round little silhouette prompts him to call you Baby Seal." He grinned. "It's a term of endearment, I assure you."

"Why do I get the feeling that's only partially true?" Devon mused.

"Yeah! And I ain't round! I'm full-bodied, thank you very much!" Grim protested.

"I gave Sea Otter his name 'cause he's always bangin' on a drum with a grin on his face," Floyd explained.

"Yes, he does have a generally sunny disposition," Azul agreed. "It's hard to imagine his demeanor changing so drastically over something as minor was unimpressive grades. I agree with Jade-the cause of Kalim's erratic behavior is most likely something else entirely. If we want to get to the bottom of this, we'll need to get Kalim alone to get what details we can from him." He turned to look at Jade. "Would you mind having a little "talk" with him, Jade?"

"Not at all," Jade replied. "Jamil would likely present a greater challenge, but I'm confident I can get Kalim to "talk" openly with me."

"And while you're doin' that, I think I'll play with Sea Snake for a little bit," Floyd volunteered.

Azul nodded approvingly. "An excellent idea, Floyd. I do believe I'll join you."

Grim and Devon exchanged a look as the Octatrio began chuckling sinisterly to themselves. "Their smiles ain't reached their eyes once this whole time," Grim commented.

"Yeah, but at least they're on our side this time," Devon replied.

"Ugh," Jamil groaned as he flopped down onto his bed. "Once again, Kalim ignores my input and just does the first thing that comes into his head. Did he even stop to think about how much extra work this means for me?" He sighed. "At least he's asleep now, so the night should go smoothly enough." He closed his eyes, all set to finally take a breather, only for a knock on his door to interrupt his downtime. "Ugh, seriously? Who could that possibly be at this hour?"

He got up to answer the door, careful to keep his expression as politely neutral as always…until he saw who was standing on the other side.

"Good evening, Jamil!" Azul greeted.

"Evenin'!" Floyd echoed.

"Hope ya don't mind us droppin' in," Grim finished.

"Sorry to bother you so late," Devon said with an apologetic smile, "…and for the crowd."

Jamil's expression softened as he looked over at Devon. "There's no need for you to apologize, Devon. You're welcome in here whenever you'd like." He refocused on Azul and Floyd, his annoyed look returning immediately. "Now, what do you guys want?"

"I spotted a board game I'd never seen before when Kalim showed us the treasury earlier this evening," Azul explained. "I asked him to explain the rules, but it's still not quite making sense to me."

"It's this board with the little divots in it," Floyd elaborated as he held up the board in question. "It looks like you're supposed to put gems in 'em or somethin'? How's that supposed to work?"

"Ah, you mean mancala. It's a popular game in the Scalding Sands," Jamil supplied.

"As a member of the Board Game Club, I'm always looking to try my hand at new games. Could I ask you to play a few rounds with me?" Azul requested.

"Ooh, ooh! I wanna play too!" Floyd said excitedly. "Lemme see what you've got, Sea Snake!"

"The Great Grim never backs down from a challenge!" Grim added with a smirk.

Jamil thought it over for a moment. "Kalim's gone to bed, so I don't see the harm. We'll have to move to the lounge, though. My dorm room doesn't have enough space to accommodate all of you."

"I'm so sorry to put you to all this trouble, Kalim. I had no idea you'd already turned in for the night," Jade apologized as he and Kalim made their way through the door, Jade making sure to subtly steer Kalim out of sight of the lounge. "It was selfish of me to ask to see the treasury again. This can wait until tomorrow, really."

"It's totally fine! There's no need to apologize!" Kalim dismissed. "What did you want to take another look at?"

"I was curious about the tapestries and carpets you were keeping further in the back," Jade replied. "I grew up under the sea, so textile handicrafts were rather difficult to come by. The truth is, I've always been fascinated by Scalding Sands culture. A country in an arid desert is about as far from the bottom of the sea as it gets."

Kalim's red eyes lit up as an idea came to him. "Ooh, I know! Speaking of carpets, I'm pretty sure we've got one in storage that would be a perfect fit for your dorm. It'd be a shame to let it just keep gathering dust, so why don't you take it back to Octavinelle with you?"

Jade's eyes widened. "Truly? Are you certain?"

Kalim nodded. "Of course!" He stopped in front of the doors to the storeroom. "Ah! Here we are." He pushed the doors open and led Jade inside, heading to the back of the room where the carpets and tapestries were kept. "Which one caught your attention?"

Jade's eyes scanned the piles of fabric, smiling when he alighted on one of them. "I believe it was…ah, there it is. Goodness, it's even lovelier up close. And what is the beautiful peacock green fabric?"

"Oh, that's woven out of silk," Kalim explained. "A long time ago, when the law that royals could only marry other royals was abolished, there was a princess who married a common man who grew up in the slums. Legend says that she often wore that color, so it's a pretty popular one in the Scalding Sands. Even today, you'll find people of all ages and genders wearing it!"

"Splendid," Jade replied. "There's a legend in the Coral Sea about a mermaid princess who was fascinated by the surface world. If she were to see these treasures, I'm certain she'd be desperate to have them all." He looked around the room, taking stock of the vast amount of goods. "It must be quite the challenge keeping track of all these beautiful pieces."

"Jamil handles all the organizational stuff," Kalim supplied. "He even airs out the carpets and tapestries on occasion."

Jade hummed thoughtfully. "Jamil is quite the competent right-hand man, isn't he? Azul has said as much in the past."

"Heh heh. He really is! Jamil's incredible!" Kalim gushed. "He was the one who taught me magic, you know. He was a way better tutor than any of the ones my family hired. And he's a great dancer too! Though…he doesn't really dance in front of others…"

The smile dropped from Jade's face. "If he truly is so competent, I have to wonder why he doesn't speak up to you about what you've been doing."

Kalim tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"Forcing your residence to give up their winter break and endure harsh magic training every day… Well, it's hard for me to imagine you doing such a thing. So why?"

Kalim's brow furrowed as he tried to remember the logic behind his decision. "Umm… Well… It's because we really needed the extra training. I guess…?"

"You "guess"? Wasn't it your decision?" Jade pressed.

"Yeah, it definitely was but…" Kalim's expression grew troubled. "The truth is, I've been spacing out…kind of a lot recently."

"Why is that?" Jade asked.

"Jamil says it's probably due to the stress of becoming a dorm leader as a sophomore," Kalim explained.

Jade quirked a brow. "Come again?"

"I've always had this bad habit of nodding off when I work my brain too hard about something," Kalim elaborated. "Jamil and my tutors have been on my case about it for as long as I can remember."

"And what is it that you're finding yourself thinking hard about at present?" Jade asked.

"Scarabia's loss at the interdorms, our bad grades on the exams, how it's my responsibility as dorm head, and how remedial measures are necessary…," Kalim listed. "When I dwell on those things for too long, I just end up spacing out." He let out a self-deprecating chuckle, a sadness in his eyes despite his smile. "Heh. I'm a pretty lousy dorm leader, huh?"

"Wasn't it your decision to keep the students here over break for special training?" Jade asked again.

"Well… I-I think so…," Kalim replied hesitantly.

"Another noncommittal answer, I see," Jade mused. 'It looks like I'll have to use my Unique Magic after all. I'd estimate that it has about a 50/50 chance of working, but desperate times and all that…' He flinched suddenly and screwed his eyes shout. "Ah… Ouch!"

"Everything okay?" Kalim asked, concerned.

"I apologize. I think a speck dust got into my eye," Jade replied. "Would you mind taking a look for me?"

"Sure thing," Kalim agreed as he stepped closer. "Here, would you mind leaning down so I can see better?"

Jade did as Kalim asked, leaning down until he was nearly at eye level with Kalim.

"Okay. Which eye was it?" Kalim asked.

"My left," Jade said as he opened his eyes. "Just look into my left eye, if you would." His eye began to glow as he began the incantation for his Unique Magic. "[Don't be afraid. I want to help you. Shock The Heart…]"

"…Wha…?" Kalim trailed off as Jade's magic took effect. His eyes glazed over as he stared dazedly back at the eel.

"I'm going to ask you some questions and you will answer them honestly," Jade said as he straightened back up. "Do you know…?"

Back in the lounge, Azul, Jamil, Floyd, and Grim continued their mancala games. Devon had opted out of playing as she was still feeling the exhaustion of the past few days and was currently resting with her head in Azul's lap. Her drowsiness wasn't helped by Azul playing absentmindedly with her curls as he concentrated both on his own game with Grim and on Jamil's with Floyd. Azul had quickly noticed the way Jamil snuck glances at Devon periodically and how his gaze tended to linger on her neck and collarbone (exposed thanks to the tank top she'd changed into due to the heat), occasionally dipping down toward her chest for a split second before he caught himself and averted his eyes. He also didn't the microexpressions of jealousy he let slip whenever Azul played with Devon's hair-he clearly didn't like the octomer touching her.

"Whooo! That's three wins for me!" Floyd cheered, pulling everyone's attention toward him and prompting Devon to sit up again.

"You're hard to beat when you're focused, Floyd," Jamil commented.

Grim, meanwhile, wasn't so lucky. "Mrah! I lost again! You really don't take any prisoners, do you, Azul?"

Azul smirked. "I believe that's five wins and zero losses for me. Of course that's to be expected for a member of the Board Game Club." He glanced over at Jamil. "Meanwhile, I believe you're at…two wins to three, yes?"

"Hm? Oh, yes. I suppose I must be getting rusty. It's been quite some time since I played, after all," Jamil replied. "Kalim would make me play this with him for hours when we were younger. He wouldn't let up until he won a game, despite his middling skill."

"I see…," Azul said thoughtfully. He lowered his voice to mutter, "Yes, I suppose that would explain it."

"What was that? You really seem to enjoy those cryptic little asides," Jamil commented.

Azul shook his head. "Oh, it's nothing. Just thinking aloud. So, you and Kalim grew up together, didn't you?"

"It's true. We've been together for as long as I can remember," Jamil replied. "I understand that it's the same for you Octavinelle boys, isn't it? That you three have known each other since childhood?"

Floyd shrugged. "Somethin' like that."

Grim tilted his head in confusion. "What's that s'possed to mean? You either are or you ain't."

"The three of us have been in the same class since elementary school, but I barely knew Azul existed until just before we started middle school," Floyd elaborated. "So we don't really have any warm and fuzzy "childhood friend"-like memories."

"I could understand a year or two, but how could someone go that long without realizing their own classmate even existed?" Devon asked.

"I was a rather quiet boy when I was younger, so I didn't exactly make a name for myself," Azul explained.

"You stood out in other ways, though," Grim pointed out. "I doubt anyone else in your class was as cute and round as-mmurph!" He sputtered as Azul quickly reached over and slapped a hand over his mouth.

"We've been over this multiple times now, haven't we, Grim?" Azul interjected with a subtle threat in his voice. "Under no circumstances are you to dredge up the forbidden lore!"

'I can't believe I was ever intimidated by this dork,' Devon thought as she watched Azul continue to fight with Grim.

"And now you preside over them as dorm head. You've got a curious relationship," Jamil commented.

"Y'think so? I just do what Azul says 'cause it's fun," Floyd said.

"I highly doubt that Jade or Floyd have any binding allegiance to me. This is all just one big game of pretend to them," Azul added.

"Your relationship gets more confusing by the second," Jamil said.

Azul pushed his glasses up again. "If I make a poor choice-or even a boring one-the twins would turn on me and seize the dorm leader seat without hesitation." He shot Floyd a confident smirk. "Not that I'd ever lose if they decided to challenge me, of course."

"We ain't got any plans to challenge him, either…yet. Aha ha!" Floyd laughed.

"So the three of you basically see one another as equals, then," Jamil reasoned.

Floyd nodded. "Pretty much, yeah. We follow Azul and do what he says 'cause it's fun. If it ever stops bein' fun, it's bye-bye Azul and that'll be that. End of story."

Devon studied Floyd quietly for a moment, her eyes briefly flashing blue unbeknownst to her. Something about what he'd said was a lie and while she couldn't be completely sure what, she knew the twins cared more for Azul than what Floyd was implying. She remembered how concerned they were before, during, and after Azul's Overblot and how their first instinct when the anemones disappeared from Ace, Deuce, and Grim's heads had been to rush back to Octavinelle because they were worried for Azul. She could definitely imagine the two of them challenging Azul for the dorm head spot (because it was a slow day, or they were bored, or it was a day ending in 'y'), but she seriously doubted they'd drop him like a hot potato the second he did something "boring".

"Besides," Floyd continued, "the vice dorm head ain't some kinda retainer for the dorm head. I'd say our dynamic is pretty normal."

"Normal, you say? I suppose the concept is lost on me," Jamil mused. "I've been a loyal servant of the Asim household for my entire life. My experience has taught me that a master is a master and a servant is a servant. Probably for as long as we're alive."

Devon and Azul studied Jamil for a moment, Devon's expression sympathetic while Azul's was more thoughtful and calculating. They didn't have time to ponder Jamil's words for long, however, because someone walked into the lounge a moment later.

"Hey, guys!" Kalim greeted cheerfully. "What're you all still doing up?"

"Gh-!" Jamil's posture went rigid and his eyes widened. What was Kalim doing in the lounge?!

"Oh hey, is that mancala?" Kalim asked with a smile. "Man, does that takes me back! Jamil and I used to play that all the time when we were kids."

"I thought you'd gone to bed, Kalim. Why are you-" Jamil cleared his throat and started again. "I've warned you before about wandering around by yourself. What if someone had abducted you?"

"There's no reason for you to fret so much, Jamil. We're perfectly safe here in the dorm," Kalim assured him. "Besides, I haven't been alone-Jade's been with me the whole time!"

"Wait… Jade's been with you?!" Jamil repeated as he felt dread creep into his stomach.

"Yes, that's correct," Jade said as he finally stepped into the lounge. "I've been with Kalim this entire time."

"Y-You…," Jamil stammered, his thoughts racing too fast to allow him to form a coherent sentence.

Jade gave Jamil a sharp-looking smile. "Kalim really is quite generous. I've learned a great deal from him this evening."

Jamil's eyes narrowed into a glare as he stood up. "What did you do to Kalim?!"

"Why, whatever do you mean by that?" Jade asked, both his smile and his tone becoming more mocking with each word. "Kalim and I were just having a pleasant chat. Weren't we, Kalim?"

Kalim nodded in agreement. "Mmhmm! I was just showing him the storeroom with all the treasure."

Jamil could only let out a small growling sound in the back of his throat, his fists clenched at his sides. He knew all about Jade's Unique Magic and what it could do, so naturally he didn't care for what Jade was implying.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me!" Kalim continued, oblivious. "Do you know where that silver and blue carpet we brought with us got to, Jamil? I looked all over the storeroom but I couldn't find it for the life of me."

"Let's go, Kalim. We're leaving," Jamil declared abruptly, his eyes never leaving Jade's.

"What? Why?" Kalim asked.

"Just go back to room. Now," Jamil ordered. He walked over to Kalim and grabbed his arm as he pulled him away from the lounge (and Jade).

Kalim stumbled a bit as Jamil led him away. "Whoa! Okay, okay, I'm going! You don't have to pull my arm out of its socket!" He threw Jade an apologetic look over his shoulder. "Sorry about this, Jade. I'll get you the carpet some other time!"

"Certainly," Jade replied with a grin. "We'll be seeing much more of each other over this break. I'm sure next time will come soon enough. Heh."

Devon's vision began to grow fuzzy again and soon the Scarabia lounge faded away as another vision of ink droplets forming a small puddle and slowing inching forward came into view. 'Ah, crud. Not again,' she thought. The vision was gone as suddenly as it had appeared, leaving her face-to-face with a concerned Grim.

"You okay, henchman?" Grim asked. "You spaced out on us for a second there."

"Your eyes started glowin' too," Floyd added. "The last time that happened was when you used your weird key power on Azul." His expression brightened as he gasped. "Did you look into someone's mind again?! Ooh, was it me?"

Devon snorted in amusement. "Floyd, seeing inside your heart for one second would give me nightmares for the rest of my life. …I did see something that concerned me, though."

"Perhaps we should head back to Devon and Grim's room for now," Azul suggested. "It seems there's quite a bit we need to discuss."

"I see," Azul said once everyone had settled into the spare room Devon and Grim were using. "And this isn't the first time you've seen visions of ink blots?"

Devon nodded. "I've only seen the ink puddle one other time, but I've also seen ink blots staining the crystal on a magical pen just before your, Riddle, and Leona's Overblots. And I do mean just before. Like, pretty much as soon as the vision faded, you guys were in your Overblot forms."

"In that case, I have to wonder if the vision you saw just a moment ago was supposed to be some kind of warning alerting you to a possible incoming Overblot," Jade mused. "Does it provide you with any hint as to whom the potential Overblotee might be?"

"No," Devon replied, shaking her head. "With how erratic Kalim's been acting lately, I figure it's gotta be him though. He was acting fine today, but maybe it takes time for blot that gathers due to negative emotions to go away."

"I suppose that's possible, but there's something I'd like to know before we theorize any further," Azul said before turning to Jade. "Excellent work today, Jade. I assume you were able to have your "talk" with Kalim?"

Jade nodded. "I did. And it was just as you suspected. The odds are good that Kalim's strange behavior is the result of someone using mind manipulation magic on him."

"Mind control?!" Grim repeated incredulously.

"That's a thing?" Devon asked.

"Ruggie's Unique Magic allows him to take control of a person's body, but magic that allows the caster to take control of a person's mind also exists," Jade told them. "However, magic of that sort requires a far higher degree of skill and magical power to be utilized effectively. As such, there aren't many mages capable of using it."

"Yeah. You gotta be on Azul's level to be able to do somethin' like that," Floyd chimed in.

"Even I would have a hard time controlling living creatures with complex egos like humans," Azul said.

"But there ain't anyone in Scarabia even half as good as you are, Azul," Grim argued. "Kalim's the dorm leader, but his Unique Magic is basically just a glorified faucet and Jamil told us that he's a solid five outta ten in pretty much everything."

"I wouldn't be so quick to take that at face value if I were you," Azul warned. "They say a clever hawk hides its talons, after all."

"So who's manipulatin' Sea Otter and why?" Floyd asked Jade.

"I'm afraid I was unable to ascertain that information," Jade replied.

"Whaaaat? Not even with your Unique Magic?" Floyd pressed.

"Jade's Unique Magic?" Grim repeated.

"Come to think of, Grim and I know what Azul and Floyd's special magic can do but I don't think we've ever seen yours in action, Jade. How's it work?" Devon asked.

Jade sighed and gave Floyd a look. "Floyd, what have I told you about blurting out the details of my Unique Magic in front of others?"

"Well…it's not such a big deal if Devon and Grim know, now is it?" Azul countered. "Knowing how it works won't affect how susceptible they are to it, after all. Devon's blessing is powerful but unlike her brother's it doesn't seem to offer her much protection with it comes to manipulation magic."

"So it's harmless because we're harmless," Grim remarked dryly. "You really know how to make someone feel good about themself, Azul."

Jade sighed again. "Very well. If I must… My Unique Magic tends to make people guarded around me once they know what it does. As such, I'm not a fan of divulging the specifics but…it's called Shock The Heart. I can use it on a target once-and only once-to make them answer any questions I ask honestly."

"Myah?! So they can't lie at all?!" Grim exclaimed.

"Mind you, I can only use it once on any given person. After that, it will never work on them again. Additionally, it tends not to work at all on people with high magical resistance or those who are naturally wary, such as Azul," Jade elaborated. "It works best on people whose minds are loosely guarded or in a moment of mental vulnerability. This renders my Unique Magic rather limited in the scope of its effectiveness."

"It works great on chumps that're cowerin' in fear while they try not to wet themselves or bawlin' like babies, though," Floyd chimed in eagerly.

"Heh heh heh. So it does," Jade chuckled sadistically.

"Those twisted matching grins of theirs still give me the creeps," Grim muttered as he inched closer to Devon.

"Anyway, Kalim has always more or less been an open book, so my magic worked on him flawlessly," Jade reported. "Yet even so…"

"Just look into my left eye, if you would." Jade's eye began to glow as he began the incantation for his Unique Magic. "[Don't be afraid. I want to help you. Shock The Heart…]"

"…Wha…?" Kalim trailed off as Jade's magic took effect. His eyes glazed over as he stared dazedly back at the eel.

"I'm going to ask you some questions and you will answer them honestly," Jade said as he straightened back up. "Do you know the name of the person using hypnosis magic on you?"

"I do," Kalim answered, all emotion gone from his voice.

Jade allowed himself a smirk; this had been even easier than he'd hoped. "And what might that name be?"

"I…I can't say," Kalim replied.

Jade's expression morphed from smug confidence to genuine shock as he stopped mentally high-fiving himself. That wasn't the answer he was expecting. "…What?"

"I made a promise long ago that I would never tell anyone. So I can't say," Kalim explained.

"I…see. Very well," Jade replied as he released the spell.

Kalim blinked as he came out of his magically-induced haze, the light returning to his eyes. "Whuh- Huh? What just-"

"Thank you so much, Kalim. You've helped me a great deal," Jade said with a pleasant smile.

"I-I have?" Kalim asked, still confused but smiling regardless. "I'm not sure what I did, but I'm glad you seem to be feeling better."

"Oh yes. Much better, my friend," Jade replied.

"And that's how it went," Jade concluded.

"Ha ha! Oh, but that is hilarious!" Azul laughed. "To think your Unique Magic was thwarted by Kalim's strength of character."

"As galling as it is to admit, that does seem to be the case," Jade replied, giving Azul a tight smile.

"Dang. And here I thought Sea Otter'd sing like a canary. Ya learn somethin' new every day, huh?" Floyd commented.

"It must be a promise he holds very dear to his heart if my magic couldn't draw it out of him," Jade mused.

Azul's lips twisted into a conniving smirk. "And yet that same unwavering loyalty has just laid bare the true cause of the unrest in Scarabia. All that's left to do now is add the finishing touches. I think it's time we catch this serpent by the tail and pull from the sand he's been lurking under. To that end, here's what I think we should do…"

Ending Notes: It's about to go down in Scarabia! …Which also means it's about time Devon finds out the truth about Jamil. Something tells me our girl isn't going to take it very well.

Jamil's going to become a lot less shy about checking Devon out once the dust settles on the mess in Scarabia. He'll have enough sense not to do it (as much) when they're surrounded by people, but all bets are off when he and Devon are alone. Poor guy's been repressed for pretty much his entire life and Devon's the first person he's ever let himself have feelings for so all of his emotions are cranked up to 11 when it comes to her. It's going to get real interesting in the Pomefiore arc since he'll be in such close and constant proximity to her due to the VDC situation, which means he gets to indulge in some of his domestic fantasies concerning her too (he hopes). Problem is, Ace is gonna be there too and that little booger is an absolute master at monopolizing Devon's time.

Thank you all so much for reading! As always, feedback and constructive criticism are welcome. Geekinthepink, out!