ACVR

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

FINAL

ISCHER

After spending years organizing the Recruit Program, it came to an abrupt end after only a single season. With the difficulties of explaining the missing Villains and their Recruits to those who knew them in the Realm, the change in behaviors of those who remained when their stories were only slightly altered with no Happy Endings, the lack of willing participating Villains, the lack of staff to run and maintain the castle, and only two Hosts remaining it was best for everyone all around to simply let things rest where they lie and end the program. There was too much to do and clean up and far too little time to get it all done, and time stops for no one; not even Villains.

Mr. Po and Ms. Villa was married shortly after completing their massive fashion line for the Halloween season on the surface and have yet to return. It was a lovely wedding even for being in a courthouse where they were joined in holy matrimony studded in silver and gray rather than black and white before they went on their honeymoon. From the postcards they send to the Castle they appear to be doing well in their travels. There is nothing terribly new in seeing the new world, which of course is big, and little to mention other than they are living their merry little lives as they please and are on more civil terms with the estranged family. Packages of wines, piles of fabrics, a few recipe books, and other strange bobbles and ends will arrive at the Castle from time to time, but they've yet to make an appearance or even hint that they will return to the Anti-Realm.

While Mr. and Mrs. Po are off traveling the world for their honeymoon, both Mr. V and Ms. Scatter stayed behind to finish a few things up and to maintain the proper balance in the Anti-Realm. With ten stories to sift through and translate as well as reference to mirrors, both Mr. V and Ms. Scatter were far too busy playing catch up to dare dream of Hosting another batch of Recruits; though they had contemplated it once. They had a list of poor unfortunate souls that could have been potential candidates, but far too many of them had been bribed to attend the meetings, lied on their applications, and were there for more malicious purposes rather than a second chance to be qualified as a Recruit.

When Mr. V publicly announced that the Recruiter Program was to come to an end none of the Villains nor their minions seemed to take it to heart or be upset that they lost their chance, nor did many of them seem to care as they were very quickly enrolling their children into a new up and coming institution called the Night Ravens College with an open invitation for all to participate in their own program of Twisted Wonderland. Where Mr. V wanted to help bring a few unfortunate souls from the dark and back into the light, the headmaster of the Night Ravens College was more focused on honing the young populace's talent to prevent them from ever sinking into the same darkness as their Villains. There were plenty of misfortunate children and minions that needed a second chance and they had the capable and understanding teachers to handle it all and Ischer did everything within his power to keep the knowledge of this academy away from Mr. V's ears. The last thing he needed was Mr. V wanting to suddenly abandon his work here and find something new to do, especially since Ms. Scatter would follow him and would leave Ischer to attend to the castle alone.

With the relatively abrupt closing of the Recruiter program after only being around for a year, things around the Anti-Realm went back to its normal state of chaos, angst, murder and constant rain showers, though in a much quieter way. Mr. V continued to act as the ruler of the land as he wrote out the stories of the Recruits with Ms. Scatter right by his side to keep him plenty busy and keep things moving smoothly. Despite no longer having the fullest potential of her powers, she had a small flicker of them even if she was unaware of this and was able to keep their little world of work organized. The two Hosts sneak out every two weeks or so for late nights out on the town and enjoy themselves in Mr. V's original Realm to eat good food and to keep a semi-social life with the princess Tiana and her children. With each passing day they seem to gradually grow closer, at a professional level, of course, and enjoy one another's company greatly. It was almost disgusting to watch as he dusted shelves and worked around the Castle, but Ischer put up with it regardless.

As the Magic Mirror and the only remaining Staff member of the Anti-Castle Ischer abides his time in the library while using minimal effort into his spells to keep the entire castle spick and span and free of dust. He's received many letters and invitations to teach at the Night Raven College by the obnoxious headmaster and each letter he has received he has also refused. Things have only just quieted down in the Anti-Realm and he simply wants to enjoy that quiet for a little longer before the next big thing happens in six hundred and sixty-six years from now. Besides, there wasn't a mortal worthy to learn under him and he didn't have the patience to teach children.

Retrieving the mail from the front door, Ischer easily discarded yet another letter from Night Raven College requesting his presence and found a few more postcards from Po and Villa as well as a letter. Quickly flicking through the rest of the mail, Ischer turned on his heel and made his way to Mr. V's office. The castle was calming in its silence, as though it were taking a sweet rest after such hard work and nearly purred like a kitten with the warmth within it. It was most strange to think that a castle could breathe and be alive, but anything is possible when magic is deeply rooted in a Realm; not that Ischer could say much as he was a walking and talking mirror.

The elevator dinged happily as it reached the proper floor and Varuo was the one to greet him. He was stretched out on the floor in his true hellcat form, his tail flicking happily as he purred in his slumber, perhaps it had been Varuo that he'd heard rather than the castle.

"Welcome back." Varuo cracked one eye open before repositioning his face to return to sleeping. Ischer merely nodded his head in recognition before walking past the sleeping hellcat and gently knocking on Mr. V's door as he entered.

Ischer should have waited for a response before entering, but he'd been too distracted with the mail that he did not realize it until he heard the abrupt parting of sucking lips.

"Ischer!" Mr. V's voice cracked as he and Ms. Scatter looked up at him with blushing faces. Doing his best to keep the disdain on his face at the unprofessional office relations before him, he casually slapped the mail down in the IN basket on his desk.

"I did knock, Valentino." He rolled his eyes and shrugged and tried not to smirk at the way Mr. V held Ms. Scatter's hand on his shoulder to keep her from running away as she hid behind his chair.

"Yes, but wait until you're allowed entry." He loosened his tie awkwardly with one hand and tried to make himself appear more professional. "Is there anythin' else?"

"No." Ischer shrugged. "More junk mail, hate mail, and a few things from our recently married and departed."

"You shouldn't make it sound as though they're dead." Ms. Scatter frowned at Ischer, but he shrugged with little care to how his words made her feel.

"They have departed the Anti-Realm and I am merely waiting for the two of you to do the same."

Mr. V frowned and there was something darker in his eyes that showed he would soon have a scolding speech for him. "Ischer –"

"The other two Hosts have invited you two to Paris, France at some place they think the two of you would enjoy." He cut him off before Mr. V could get on his tirade. Ms. Scatter's eyes went wide with excitement and her hand seemed to clutch Mr. V's shoulder tighter.

"They finally told us where they were at?" Mr. V picked up the letter and postcards and handed a few to Ms. Scatter as he flicked through them. "Well, I'll be damned."

"Oh, hush, they had plenty to do when they picked up our work, they're allowed to enjoy their honeymoon."

"It's been six months!" Mr. V's eyes skimmed over the words on the letter while Ms. Scatter smiled softly at the postcards. Ms. Scatter chewed on her lip as she flipped through the postcards looking at the pictures then reading what was on them.

"I bet it's lovely there. . ."

"There's about an eight-hour difference between the Anti-Realm and Paris, which means you two have little less than two hours to get ready if you plan to join them for dinner." Icher cleared his throat and caught both of their attention. "If you two can promise to be on time underneath one of the legs of the Eiffel Tower, I will be sure to pick you up after lunch tomorrow."

Mr. V raised his brow in suspicion. "Tomorrow?"

"You cannot tell me that a consumer of fine wine, dining, and quality food would only take his lady friend to Paris for dinner and not stay the night for a possible breakfast or brunch where you can only get the best fresh bread, Valentino." Ischer gave the man a pointed look and Ms. Scatter failed to bite back a smile as she hid behind the postcards in her hand.

"If I didn't know any better, Ischer, I'd say you were trying to get rid of us." Mr. V huffed as he dropped the letter onto his desk.

"If I truly wanted to do that, I would have done so a long time ago, Valentino." Ischer smirked and placed his hands behind his back. "No, I am merely encouraging the two of you to take a bit of a break."

"Do my ears deceive me or are you showin' some sort of affection Ischer?" Mr. V smiled far too wide and caused Ischer to roll his eyes.

"Digging an early grave will serve none of us a good purpose, Valentino." His nose wrinkled in distaste. "Save for the occasional weekend that the two of you steal away to visit your hometown, you two never leave this place. You two have more than made up for your unexcused absences while frolicking through the Fantasia Realm."

Ms. Scatter frowned as she raised a brow of suspicion at Ischer. "Yes, through fire and brimstone, the best of fields to frolic through."

"Whatever suits your interests best, Ashe." Ischer was not deterred by the face she made. "Regardless, you two have plenty of work to do to keep you plenty busy for the next century and allowing yourself to have time for a few pleasures won't kill you."

Mr. V and Ms. Scatter looked from Ischer to one another then back to him as if he were sprouting a tail, he was half tempted to, but merely smiling back at them.

"Are you feeling all right, Ischer?" Ms. Scatter stepped away from Mr. V and walked around the desk.

"Would you two quit acting like I have an ailment and get ready?" He scowled down at Ms. Scatter. The disbelief was still in their faces, but Scatter was the first to leave while a confused Mr. V sat in his chair.

"Now that the lady has left the room, are you goin' to tell me what's really goin' on?" Mr. V scratched his beard and looked at Ischer expectantly. "What, you kickin' us out so you can run off or something?"

"Paranoid about losing your position, Valentino?" He snorted as he smirked at Mr. V. "I have enough to do around this place without sitting upon the throne made up of thorns and scorns of the Villains. Despite what the two of you may think, I am merely encouraging you to spend time with your friends. You never know when you'll get to see them again."

"Though you're right, I can't help but feel as though you seem to know if we will." Mr. V's eyes narrowed. "Is there something you're not telling us?"

They locked eyes, brown burrowing into green demanding an answer that would never come. Ischer merely raised his brow and tapped his pocket watch, "Time is ticking, Valentino, and I will not send you two to Paris if you are late."

No matter what excuse Mr. V could offer up to reject their trip to Paris, Ischer would not hear of it as they needed to get out of the castle so he could do proper work. At the rate he and Ms. Scatter were moving to write these stories, it would take years before one would even remotely be published. Ischer would not do all the work, but he would do just enough to help move things along a little faster.

For his credit there was determination in Mr. V's eyes to press the matter further, but he eventually gave up the fight and took his leave. A small smile of victory came to his face as Mr. V left the room and Varuo appeared beside him.

"You could just tell them you're trying to get them together instead of acting so mysterious, you know." Varuo huffed. "You're the one that spent hours hunting down the other two to arrange this whole thing."

"Where would be the fun in that?" He scoffed.

"It would save Ashe some anxiety."

"I have to do something to keep myself entertained for a while." He exhaled dramatically. "Besides, the two need to take a break from their work at their desks so I can set things proper and right again."

"Just because you've recorded the Recruit's stories through your mirrors does not mean they are necessarily correct." Varuo's tail flicked. "I'm sure there are some things that happen within their stories that they would much prefer to be out of the public's eyes."

"It does not matter since they are only a small portion of the whole of Disney." Ischer snorted as he stared down the mountain of paperwork. "Their stories are so niche that only those with a select eye will be worthy of reading them."

"You sound so confident of that."

"I am confident in that." He glanced down at the cat. "Nothing could truly compare to the stories that so many already know and love, however, those seeking for something deeper with more meaning than just the basic instincts of a beautiful attraction will find some sort of enjoyment in the stories never told."

"Are you speaking from experience?"

"Perhaps." He shrugged and casually turned around as he heard the elevator coming up the shaft. "Or perhaps I can only hope."

Before Varuo could ask any more questions, both Mr. V and Ms. Scatter walked through the doorway, arm in arm, dressed in a fine summer dress and a suit for a night in Paris. They were matching in colors and even holding hands to show that they were a proper and proud couple as they stood before Ischer. It was so sweet it was sickening for Ischer.

"I see we can be on time when we try." He smirked as he looked to Mr. V. Whatever retort he would say was quickly cut off. "Mr. and Mrs. Po will be waiting for you under the third leg of the Eiffel Tower, and that is where I will be waiting for you come morning."

Ischer clapped his hands and the large mirror on the opposite wall behind him warped and swirled to open a portal. Ms. Scatter looked from Ischer to Mr. V, her hand clutching tightly to the crook of his elbow.

"Everything is safe, Ashe." Ischer assured her as he bowed and held an inviting arm out to them. "My portal will take you where you need to go and will bring you back safe and sound."

She did not look particularly convinced, but with a gentle tug from Mr. V she relented with a smile. "If you need anything, you can always send Varuo to come find us."

"I am aware." He nodded his head in understanding. "Should such a need arise, I promise to do so."

They took two steps forward and stopped just before the mirror when Mr. V looked over his shoulder. "Don't forget to bring us back."

"Never. There's too much work to do around here for just one person." He smiled knowingly with a wave as they walked through the spiraling green portal. "Besides, we still have stories to write to make sure that everyone gets their Happy Ending."

THE END

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this!

It has finally come to an end. I know it may seem considerably abrupt, given the pacing of this story, however, because of how ambivalent this story more or less was, it could practically never end because of all the possibilities it has. It was so much fun writing this, but in order for me to write the other stories to go in addition to this, this one just had to come to some sort of an end. Though I had so much more in store for this story, I am satisfied with how it ended.

As I move forward in the future, I will potentially write a few shorts for the Hosts, maybe even a few backstories, but only as the inspiration strikes me and I have the time to write. I hope this story at least gives you just enough of a taste to seek out the other Recruits and other stories written about them. It is a considerably niche category, but if you like Twisted Wonderland, you'll probably enjoy other stories.

Please remember to leave a comment, review, and share this story so that we can share the love for this fandom. If you would like to see more stories or even have a request or two for future stories based on the Villain Recruiters, please let me know. I cannot guarantee that I will be able to fulfill all requests, but I will attempt to do so.

Thank you so much for coming along on the journey with me, let's go on another one real soon. ^_^

Ko-fi/SarahtheWriter