After dinner, everyone headed back to their dorms to get some rest before Beanfest began the next morning. However, not everyone was quick to turn in for the night. Over in Heartslabyul, several of the students gathered in the lounge as they chatted eagerly amongst themselves.

Riddle sighed as he lowered himself into one of the chairs. "Queen of Hearts' Rule 529: 'When eating steak on the night of a full moon, a cat must play the violin afterwards'. It's a good thing a cat beastman was placed into Heartslabyul this year. We came dangerously close to committing an infraction."

"Yeah, but...if you ask me, it was less "playing" and more "screeching"," Cater commented.

"Well, there's no stipulation that they have to play the violin well, so we're still in the clear," Trey replied.

"Speaking of steak, was it just me or did the cafeteria's menu seem way more high-brow than usual?" Ace asked. "There was steak, fried oysters, liver pie… What's the deal there?"

"Well, Beanfest is tomorrow!" Cater pointed out. "Gotta load up on calories so everyone's got enough energy for the game, right?"

Deuce nodded. "Yeah, that makes sense. And now that you mention it, I do feel way more energized after that meal. I'm ready to put in some serious running tomorrow!"

"Did you say something about being put on the farmer team this year, Deuce?" Trey asked. "If so, you and Cater will be on the same team this year."

"Yeah, that's right. Devon and Grim are on the farmer team too," Deuce replied.

"Oh? Guess that makes Acey the odd man out, then," Cater deduced.

"Yep, that right. I'm the only one of the 1-A squad on the monster team," Ace said with a grin. "That's fine by me, really-I definitely prefer chasing to being chased."

"Sounds like we'll be teammates tomorrow, then," Trey commented.

Ace blinked. "You're on the monster team, Trey?" He looked over at Riddle. "Does that mean the dorm head is too?"

Trey shook his head. "Nope. The dorm leaders and vice dorm leaders are always on separate teams."

"So dorm leader Riddle will be on my team, then. I'll have to up my game," Deuce said resolutely.

Cater grinned. "There's that card soldier team spirit. We love to see it! You gotta be careful, though, Deucey. You don't wanna risk leaking any intel to the monster team before game day."

"Come on now, Cater. Don't you think that's a bit much? We're not even on opposite sides yet," Trey pointed out.

Cater gave Trey a knowing smirk. ""Yet" is the operative word there, my friend. Everyone knows it's the guys who make a show of how harmless they are that you really gotta watch out for."

Riddle smirked over at Trey as well. "I wholeheartedly agree, Cater."

"C'mon, Riddle. Not you too…," Trey said, shaking his head despite the smile on his face.

"Still, tomorrow we get to go all-out against anyone we face, no matter their class or dorm standing," Ace reminded them eagerly. "Personally, that fact alone has me pretty pumped!"

"Oh noooo! The big bad Acey-monster is scaring me already!" Cater wailed dramatically. "Deucey, Riddle, we've gotta make sure we nab that harp for the farmers."

"Naturally," Riddle agreed. "I'm not about to spend the entire day getting chased about for nothing."

"And I'm a pretty good runner with lots of stamina, so I should be fine too," Deuce added.

Ace smirked over at Deuce. "Too bad horsepower's only gonna get ya so far. You need brains to make the right calls in a game like Beanfest."

"Rgh… Well I can at least make sure you never capture me," Deuce growled.

"Alright, alright, save it for the game, guys," Trey cut in, hoping to deescalate the two freshmen before they started another fight. "You don't wanna get so worked up that you can't sleep tonight. Don't let your competitiveness get the better of you, either. I don't want to see anyone getting hurt over a glorified game of tag. Understood?"

Cater rolled his eyes playfully. "Yes, Mom. And if you're finished nagging, how's about you join us for a quick pre-game pic?" He gathered the rest of them together and snapped a quick selfie before immediately setting to work on the tags. "Let's see… Hashtag #Heartslabyul #Farmers&Monsters #TodaysFriendIsTomorrowsEnemy #Early2BedEarly2Rise… Aaaand posted!" He grinned at them. "Make sure you all slam that like button, 'kay?"

Riddle stood and cleared his throat, causing all the students gathered in the lounge to turn toward him. "It's getting late, everyone, so don't stay up chatting for too much longer." He gave them all a tiny smile. "I'll remind you all that anyone who is not in their room by lights out will lose their head."

"Yes, dorm leader!" the rest of the students replied in unison.

Beanfest was also the subject of conversation over in Savanaclaw.

"Uuugh," one of the students groaned as he flopped back onto one of the lounge's chairs. "I really wanted to get on the monster team this year."

One of the students sitting nearby let out an amused snort. "Please. You're slow as a turtle anyway. The only thing you'd be catchin' on the monster team is other peoples' dust."

The first student growled and got to his feet. "Oh yeah? Well, you're gonna catch these hands in a second!"

The second student stood up as well. "Bring it. I'll take you on any-"

An ear-splitting roar cut through the lounge, effectively putting an end to the argument as the two quarrelling jumped and tucked their tails between their legs. They both turned hesitantly toward the direction of the roar and were met with a very irritated Leona glaring daggers at them.

"Quit yappin', get back to your dens, and go to bed before I roast you both on a spit," Leona ordered.

"Y-Yessir! Right away, sir! Have a good night, dorm leader," the students stammered before nearly tripping over themselves as they rushed toward their dorm rooms.

"Yeesh," Jack said as he and Ruggie watched the confrontation from nearby. "Is it just me or is Leona in an even worse mood than usual?"

"If I were a bettin' man, I'd say he's mad because he can't skip outta the game tomorrow. Beanfest is a PE activity, after all, and PE's a required credit. Leona's been skippin' class so much that he's in danger of getting held back again this year."

"What? But why would he skip out on PE when he's so amazing at sports?" Jack asked in disbelief.

"Just because someone's good at something doesn't always mean they enjoy it, Jack," Ruggie pointed out before smirking to himself and muttering under his breath, "Luckily for me, that gives me a prime opportunity to score a week's worth of daily specials in the cafeteria. Shishishishi!" He looked at Jack again, continuing the conversation. "There's also the fact that he ended up on the farmer team this year, unlike us. I'm sure the idea of being chased around like prey all day is a blow to his pride. Maybe the stress is making him grumpy." He smirked again, side-eying Leona as he made his way toward them. "Or maybe it's not."

"And who exactly are you to say how I feel about anything?" Leona growled.

"So ya heard me, did ya?" Ruggie replied, sounding completely unapologetic.

"It's true that the rules of the game state that the farmer team gets chased," Leona began as he sat down with them, "but don't forget that it's the farmers who slew the monster in the end." He smirked at them. "If you aren't careful, you'll get beaned right in the muzzle."

"You don't have to worry about me on that front," Jack replied. "That harp's not going anywhere if I have anything to say about it. I'm not about to bring shame to Savanaclaw by losing a physical contest with no magic." His eyes narrowed into a determined glare. "Just watch me! I'll capture more farmers than anyone else tomorrow!"

Leona gave Jack a mildly amused look. "Well, I have to give you props for havin' the guts to say that to my face. Good luck with that, I guess. Just remember that we're not a pack of rugrats gettin' all jazzed up for a field trip. You should get to bed too."

Jack nodded as he stood up. "Yessir. I'll be heading back to my room now."

Leona and Ruggie watched him go, Leona waiting until he was sure Jack was out of earshot before speaking up again. "Just look at him, gettin' all worked up over a dumb game. I'll never understand why canines enjoy chasin' their own tails around the yard so much."

"Shishishishishi. Good thing you've got a monster on the inside to make sure our not-so-little wolf friend doesn't catch you," Ruggie snickered.

Leona gave Ruggie a conspiratorial smirk. "You'd better hold up your end of this deal if you want me to make good on those meal tickets."

Ruggie smirked back as he laced his fingers behind his head. "You're the boss, Boss."

"There," Azul said as he and Jade finished counting up the Mostro Lounge's profits for the day. "Now that we've finished counting the till, we should probably call it an early night. We need to be well-rested for tomorrow, after all." He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I've been looking forward to this day since last year and I'm not about to put myself at a disadvantage."

"It seems history is repeating itself; you and I were on different teams last year and I'm afraid this year will be more of the same," Jade said.

"Yes…," Azul replied, crossing his arms and frowning at the memory. "Last year, I was on the farmer team and was caught within minutes of the game's start. Because of that, I had to suffer through nonstop strength training with Vargas until the end of the game." His frown deepened as he clenched his fists. "I will never forget the humiliation! Or the resulting soreness! Surprise me once, shame on you. Surprise me twice, shame on me…and I am not about to be shamed this year. I'll be doing my part and then some on behalf of the monster team. Heh heh heh…"

Jade grinned, his tone polite with just the slightest hint of mockery. "We may be on opposing teams, but I look forward to seeing you in action, Azul."

Azul smirked back. "Hmph. Patronize me while you can. By the way," His smirk dropped as he glanced around the lounge, "I notice that Floyd has been conspicuously absent. Have you seen him?"

"I believe you'll find him sprawled out on one of the lounge sofas, not unlike a beached whale," Jade replied, gesturing toward the sofa in question.

As if on cue, a loud "Uuuugh" erupted from Floyd as he pushed himself up to see over the back of the sofa. "Beanfest is beyond lame. Can I ditch? I kinda wanna ditch."

Azul sighed. "Your mood swings never cease to amaze me, Floyd. Weren't you the one who spent all day before last year's Beanfest talking about how much fun it sounded?"

"Easy for you to say. You and Jade are on different teams this year," Floyd pointed out. "Me? I'm on the farmer team again. Been there, done that, don't wanna do it again. I hate bein' chased around. I wanna be on the monster team!"

"Hmm. I suppose that would explain why you're in such poor spirits today," Jade commented.

"I may have been leanin' on my classmates just the tiniest bit to see if they'd swap teams with me, y'know? But then the teacher just about bit my head off," Floyd groused. "I don't care if my PE grade takes a hit. I'ma spend tomorrow in the dorm catchin' up on my sleep."

"Oh dear… And I was so looking forward to being on the same team with you this year," Jade replied.

Floyd gave his brother a skeptical look. "Really? I don't see what the big deal is."

"Seeing as I'm on the monster team, your lack of motivation really only serves to benefit me, but ditching Beanfest is guaranteed to hurt your grade," Azul pointed out. "Not to mention, I heard that Vargas has a mandatory "special lesson" planned for anyone who skips out."

"Seriously? Uuughh," Floyd groaned again. "Vibe totally ruined."

"If you're determined not to participate, the smartest option would be to make an appearance at morning roll-call and then hide out for the rest of the day," Azul suggested.

"I guess that makes sense…," Floyd replied reluctantly.

"It sounds sensible enough to me," Jade agreed. "Once the game starts, students are free to act however they choose." He grinned at Floyd. "Lying low and remaining concealed is a biological specialty for us morays, so I say embrace your nature."

"Hrmmm…," Floyd hummed noncommittally as he flopped back onto the sofa, causing Azul and Jade to let out mildly exasperated sighs.

"He's going to get stuck taking Vargas' special lesson tomorrow, isn't he?" Azul asked.

"So it goes with him," Jade replied. "Best to leave him to his own devices for now. Who knows, he might end up changing his mind in the morning."

Unable to sleep, Kalim decided to a quick walk around Scarabia. He heard some noise from the kitchen and curiously took a peek inside, only to see Jamil. "Oh, hey Jamil! What are you still doing up?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Jamil replied, turning to smile at Kalim over his shoulder. "You'll miss out on a full night's rest if you don't get to bed soon."

Kalim smiled back as he stepped into the kitchen. "I know, but I'm so excited for tomorrow that I can't catch a wink! Plus-hmm?" He paused, the spicy scent in the air from whatever Jamil was cooking moving him to step closer. "Something smells nice. Is that lunch for tomorrow?"

Jamil nodded. "That's right. I made something fit for both eating outdoors and sharing with friends."

"Good thinking, Jamil!" Kalim praised. "Now I really can't wait for tomorrow!"

"Now remember, I won't be there to serve it to you tomorrow like I usually am," Jamil reminded him. "Make sure you don't get so worked up that you rush off and leave it here in the morning."

"Oh, that's right. We were on the same team last year, but since we're dorm leader and vice dorm leader, we've gotta be on separate teams this time, huh?" Kalim recalled. "It's been years since we've gotten to play a serious game of tag together! This is going to be so much fun!"

"I agree. Tomorrow will certainly be interesting. I'm looking forward to it as well," Jamil replied. His smile turned into a sly smirk as he turned back to his cooking to face away from Kalim, chuckling sinisterly under his breath.

Over in Pomefiore, Vil was leading his dormmates (and Devon; Grim had been able to convince Vil to set him sit the exercises out since his monster body wasn't made to move like a human's) in a series of stretches before everyone headed off to bed. "A pre-bedtime stretch will loosen up your tensed muscles and improve your blood flow. It also stimulates your parasympathetic nerves and ensures you'll get a better-quality sleep. You'll be doing quite a bit of running tomorrow, so make sure you get as much rest as you can tonight. Am I understood?"

"Yes, dorm leader!" the Pomefiore students replied in unison.

"Good. We'll finish up with some leg stretches," Vil continued. "Stay seated on the floor, press the soles of your feet together and lean forward."

"Ggh… Eergh…," Epel grunted as he struggled to mimic Vil's movements. Unfortunately, it looked more like he was rocking back and forth as opposed to stretching. "I just can't, Vil! I back won't bend any further."

Vil looked over Epel's posture. "The reason you look so ridiculous is because you're only focusing on lowering your spine. You need to roll your hip joints and widen your legs."

"D-Don't you think you're asking for a bit much here- Oooowwww!" Epel protested as Vil took it upon himself to correct Epel's movements.

"It pains me to see you struggle so, Monsieur Crabapple," Rook lamented, shaking his head before offering an encouraging smile. "Worry not, my friend! You'll limber up in no time once you start incorporating Vil's stretches into your daily routine." He nudged Devon. "Shall we demonstrate, Mademoiselle Trickster?"

Devon grinned. "You know it." The pair proceeded to execute the stretch perfectly, leaning so far forward that their upper bodies touched the floor.

"Whoa! That's incredible!" Epel exclaimed. "I mean, I know Dev's had gymnastics training for cheer and stuff for most of her life so she doesn't surprise me, but I had no idea you were so limber, Rook."

"When you have healthy joints and flexible muscles, you can bound as gracefully as a gazelle," Rook replied.

"Hmm…" Vil studied Rook for a moment. "I notice your shoulders and thighs have more muscle mass than usual. Have you been bulking up, Rook?"

Rook nodded with a smile. "Oui, that's correct. I've spent the past month doing higher-intensity training than usual in preparation for Beanfest. Nothing that would disrupt the look you're striving for in regards to VDC, mind you, but enough to hopefully make a difference."

Devon quirked a brow and shared a look with Epel. "You've been strength-training just for this event?"

"But of course! This year, I was fortunate enough to get my wish to compete with Vil," Rook explained. "My regret would be immeasurable if I were to face him in anything less than tip-top shape."

"Heh. You know, I seem to remember you saying that the key to any successful hunt is thorough preparation," Vil said.

"Precisely," Rook replied. "Besides, I'll be on the monster team this year while the three of you are on the farmer team." He looked like he was going to swoon for a moment. "Oh! Just imagining the exhilaration I'll feel when I capture you is going to keep me up all night!"

"I'd advise against counting your chickens before they've hatched," Vil countered. "You're in for a very rude awakening if you think for a moment that I'll be an easy mark. You might think you're hunting a chicken, only to find yourself cornered by a fox."

Vil and Rook began to chuckle ominously, competitive drive just barely restrained behind the smiles on their faces. Devon promptly scooted over next to Epel. "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

"We give those two a wide berth tomorrow?" Epel guessed. "If that's what you were gonna say, good call." He grinned at her. "I'd be all for teaming up with you and Grim, though, so here's hoping we meet up tomorrow.

"Got it in one, my dude," Devon replied. "And same."

The sound of various tools being put to use could be heard from Idia's dorm room as he placed the final touches on his current project. Dominic (via video call) and Ortho looked on eagerly, ready to provide moral support-Dominic even had Gizmo nearby just in case.

"Just a few more adjustments aaaaand…done!" Idia announced, holding up a large green peapod-shaped device. "What do you guys think? Its internal mini-module generates technomantic energy via ambient oscillation to mitigate the firepower reduction caused by rapidfire shots. It auto-coats every bean loaded into it with a potion to reduce air-resistance, which'll enable a maximum firing distance of 1,800 meters. I call it… The Anti-Monster Heavy Technomantic Bean Cannon Supreme!"

Dominic smiled. "Not that I doubted you before, but you really are a genius, Idia!"

"Yeah! I think this is some of your finest work yet!" Ortho agreed. He looked over at Dominic. "And what does Gizmo have to say?"

Dominic held Gizmo up to the camera, where the tuxedo cat gave a mew in response.

"Hmm… You're right, Gizmo. That name's way too clunky. Guess I got caught up in the moment," Idia said. "Short and sweet's definitely the way to go. "Bean launcher", it is. Bam, ship it."

"What other gear did you end up making for this thing?" Dominic asked.

"Well, we've got one improved grabbing arm, two capture rods, two bean blasters, two bean rifles, and our bean launcher buddy over here." Idia nodded to himself. "I think that oughta do it for this year. Don't wanna put in too much high-end gear and ruin the game balance, after all. Fwee hee hee!"

"Why are you making all this stuff for Beanfest, anyway?" Dominic asked. "From what I've heard, this seems like the type of thing you'd want no part of."

"How 'bout I bring you along with me when I deliver this stuff? It'll all make sense to you then," Idia replied, making a few swipes to transfer Dominic's video call from his PC to his tablet.

Dominic grinned. "Sounds good to me. I haven't gotten the chance to see much of your campus yet."

Ortho blinked. "Hang out. You're really planning to go out this late, big brother?"

"I mean, we're just going to the school store real quick. We won't be gone long. Besides, I bet pretty much all the other students are in bed by now, so we shouldn't run into anyone."

"Ah, so you're going to strike the same deal as last year, then? Here, let me help you carry some of that," Ortho offered.

Idia smiled. "Thanks. And remember, we've gotta be discreet about this, guys. Can't risk getting spotted by anyone."

Ortho nodded. "Right! Stealth Mode, activate!"

The Shroud brothers (and Dominic, via floating tablet) were able to make their way out of Ignihyde and over to the school store without anyone seeing them. None of them spoke-even Gizmo stayed silent- as the door to the Mystery Shop creaked open and they made their way in. As it was after hours, none of the lights were on and several of the various items Sam had for sale cast eerie shadows on the walls.

"Good evening, Sam!" Ortho greeted.

"Hey there, my little blue imps!" Sam greeted back before catching sight of Dominic on the tablet. "Looks like you've brought your own friend from the other side. Sorry to say, but the store's closed for the day."

"Uhh… What I want is out of stock," Idia replied, causing Dominic to quirk a brow at him quizzically.

"Ah! That's impossible, I say," Sam replied, confusing Dominic even further.

"I'm afraid you'll find there is a way," Idia continued.

"We're all here for Beanfest this day!" Idia and Sam finished in unison.

"Perfect! Password accepted!" Sam said with a wink. "It's been a year since the last time I called you Mr. Smith, huh?"

"U-Uh, yeah," Idia confirmed. "So, anyway, I'm interested in your deal again this year. I brought a bunch of stuff with me."

"My, my, just look at this haul!" Sam said, giving the items Idia and Ortho had carried in an appraising look. "Let's give it up for Mr. Smith! Looks like we've got a business transaction to negotiate."

"Look, I'm all for getting out of big sporty events but is the school really just going to let him do that?" Dominic asked Ortho.

"Well… There's not actually a rule that says he can't make his own equipment for Beanfest. Even so…," Ortho trailed off.

"This deal is entirely aboveboard, I swear," Idia assured them. "Picture it: while everyone else is running around in that sweaty sportsfest, I'll be tampering with the difficulty from my comfortable spot on the sidelines."

"When you put it that way, it does sound pretty badass," Dominic conceded.

"And I guess you're technically participating in a school event of your own free will," Ortho added. "I'm not about to complain about that!" He laughed. "I can't wait to see how everything unfolds tomorrow!"

Lilia walked into the Diasomnia lounge to see Sebek wailing on the floor dangerously close to the fetal position while Malleus and Silver looked on. This wasn't an especially unusual occurrence for his boys, but he curious about what had caused it this time.

"Oh, woe is me!" Sebek sobbed. "Fate is a cruel mistress, indeed!" He got to his knees and shook his fist skyward. "What have I done to deserve this unfairness?!"

"Quiet down, Sebek," Silver chided. "Some of our dormmates have already gone to bed."

Sebek glared up at Silver. "You know nothing of the anguish that plagues me, Silver!"

Lilia cleared his throat to get their attention. "What's all this commotion about, boys?"

"I haven't the foggiest," Malleus replied. "All I said was that I was on the farmer team and Sebek prostrated himself on the floor and began sobbing inconsolably."

"Our prince, the most lofty and noble personage in the entire world, is to spend tomorrow being hounded by others because of random chance?! Campus rules or no, I cannot allow this effrontery to stand!" Sebek ranted. "We must lodge a complaint with the school immediately!"

"Ignore him, Father," Silver interjected. "Sebek's just throwing a tantrum because he didn't end up on Lord Malleus' team."

"How dare you!" Sebek thundered. "Don't get cocky just because you did make it onto the same team as Malleus!"

"Hmm… I suppose that means it's Malleus and Silver on the farmer team and myself and Sebek on the monster team," Lilia deduced. He gave Sebek a teasing grin. "What's wrong, Sebek? Am I not a good enough teammate for you?"

Sebek bolted to his feet. "Wh-sir! I-I would never dream of implying such a thing! Naturally, I'm honored to be following a warrior as renowned as yourself into battle." He still looked uncertain, muttering under his breath, "But even still… Lord Malleus…"

"It is unlike you stumble over your words, Sebek," Malleus commented. "Come. Speak freely."

Sebek took a breath before starting again. "Seniors at Night Raven College spend most of the school year off-campus so they can pursue off-campus education." He looked over at Malleus. "You are a junior this year, my lord. As such, this will be the last year you take part in our school's Beanfest event. This was the only chance I had to team up with you…"

"You're supposed to be Lord Malleus' attendant, Sebek. Why are you troubling him with your personal desires?" Silver asked.

Sebek's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Rrgh… I beg your forgiveness, my lord."

Malleus shook his head. "You've nothing to apologize for. I asked you to speak freely and you obliged."

Lilia let out an amused chuckle. "We have precious few chances to turn a blade upon a king in our lifetimes. Consider it a training exercise and enjoy it for what it is."

"Yes, sir! But I swear on my life that I would never turn my blade upon my lord!" Sebek replied resolutely.

Lilia turned to Silver next. "As for you, Silver, this should make for fine royal guardsman training. Make sure to give it your fullest effort."

Silver nodded. "Yes, sir. Nothing will happen to Lord Malleus on my watch."

Lilia chuckled again. "You boys are so gung-ho over a simple game of tag." His eyes began to twinkle mischievously. "You know, I have it on good authority that our Devon ended up on the farmer team as well. I sincerely hope our paths cross tomorrow-something tells me she'll make for a very worthy opponent."

"I would be honored to help you defeat her, Master Lilia," Sebek offered, "but I doubt it will take much. Devon is athletic, it's true, but she's never participated in a Beanfest event before."

"True, but I think her time playing paintball with her family have given her a serious edge in a game like this. She might be a bigger asset or threat than anyone realizes," Lilia pointed out.

Sebek blinked. "Paintball?"

"I don't know the particulars, I'm given to understand that the basic premise is quite similar to our Beanfest game," Lilia explained. "Instead of beans, though, participants use dye-filled capsules that break open on impact. I also understand that getting hit by one can be quite painful; even with all the protective gear, players can still end up with some nasty bruises."

"And…humans do this for fun?" Malleus asked, confused.

Lilia nodded. "Delightful, isn't it? And both of Devon's parents have plenty of tournament wins under their belts. If Angelo and Elena passed their skills on to their children…" He let the sentence hang for a moment before continuing. "When I visited them with Queen Maleficia, I saw plenty of awards for all manner of things. Sports, academics, you name it. Clearly the Lopezes aren't in the habit of losing."

Malleus smiled, warmth in his green eyes. "I don't doubt it for a moment. However, if it comes down to it, I shall defend her to the very last."

Lilia grinned before looking over at Silver, noting the equally determined look in his eyes despite his lack of a verbal response. 'Yes. I'm certain you both would if it came down to it.' "Ahem. In any event, I plan to go after Malleus quite aggressively as well. I'll show you why they called the Phantom Commander back in the day."

"Heh. In that case, I'll have to be quick on my feet if I don't want to get taken out right at the start. I'd certainly hate for my declaration of protection to be for naught," Malleus replied. He looked around at the three of them. "This is the only year that the four of us will be able to take part in this event together. Let us make the most of it."

"Yes, sir!" the remaining three replied in unison.

The next morning saw the entire NRC student body gathering on the sports field. Everyone was dressed in their PE uniforms with an orange or purple patch to indicate if they were on the farmer or monster team, respectively. Coach Vargas stood at the head of the crowd, his booming voice carrying loud and clear to the assembled mass. "Welcome, bean sprouts. It's that time of year again-Beanfest is here! I hope everyone ate a balanced breakfast and chugged a raw egg or two because you'll need all the energy you can get if you wanna last through the day."

"Kalim, did you remember your lunch?" Jamil asked in a whisper. "I included written instructions for putting it together."

Kalim smiled and patted a large pack containing the lunch Jamil had made. "I sure did! Thanks again, Jamil! I know we're on different teams, but let's make this game a good one."

"Oh, I'm sure it will be," Jamil replied with a knowing smirk.

"Now then, I'll explain the rules for all our freshmen," Vargas continued. "You all need to pay close attention, so try not let my incredible physique distract you too much!" His expression grew serious. "This is going to be a capture-the-flag type of battle in which teams will fight for possession of the golden harp that's been placed in the coliseum. The monster team will be guarding the harp. As such, they will lose if the farmer team is able to take it. Conversely, the farmer team loses if they fail to take back the harp within the time limit. Simple enough, right?"

Rook let out a happy sigh. "Today's the day, at long last! Ah, how my spirit soars!"

Vil smirked. "Heh. Just remember that the higher you fly, the clearer my shot will be when I bean you."

"Hmm… By the by, Vil, I notice that you aren't wearing any fragrance today," Rook commented with a smirk of his own. "You always say that fragrance is every bit as essential to one's presentation as their manner of dress."

"That's true, but it's also important to know when to forego wearing it altogether," Vil replied before giving Rook a sidelong look. "After all, the rumor is that there will be monsters about with a keen sense of smell."

"My, my, Roi du Poison. Now, as ever, your genius brings a smile to my face!" Rook said.

"I'm merely answering earnestness in kind," Vil replied with a rare genuine smile.

Up at the front, Vargas was still going strong. "A farmer is out of the game if they get captured by a monster and a monster is out of the game if they get hit by a farmer's bean. Now, here's the most important rule of them all: there is to be no magic whatsoever during the game. Any player caught doing so will be immediately disqualified. This is a contest of physical prowess only!"

Ace sighed from his spot in the crowd. "Aww man… They were serious about the whole no magic thing?"

"Actually, it used to be allowed, years ago," Riddle replied.

"Yep. And it was banned altogether after one particularly heated game that resulted in several people getting hurt," Trey added.

"So it's a test of strength, then?" Deuce asked with an eager smirk. "I say bring it! That's right up my alley!"

"You're pretty pumped, huh Deucey?" Cater commented before muttering under his breath, "Of course you won't last five minutes if you're relying on raw horsepower alone…"

Not far away, Floyd stretched his arms over his head and let out the yawn to end all yawns. "Man, I'm tired."

"I see you decided to come after all," Jade commented with a grin.

"Yeah well, I'm not jazzed about this dumb game, but I'm even less jazzed at the thought of extra lessons with Coach Lobster," Floyd replied. "Figured I'd show up for the start, at least. Once the game starts, I'll just find a tree to nap in."

"Ah, and here I was hoping that we could play tag together like we did as children," Jade said.

Floyd shrugged. "Not in the mood."

Jade smiled and nodded. "Very well. It's a shame, but I suppose there's no sense in trying to fight your mercurial nature."

"I'll be giving extra PE credit to everyone on the winning team," Vargas continued, "and the MVPs that contribute the most to their team's victory will get an extra bonus. I expect each and every one of you to give your all out there and to fight on until your muscles are screaming in protest! The entire campus is your playing field and each time will have their own supply points. I suggest you use what you find in those crates to your advantage. I'll be passing out field maps to each of you with the supply points marked. Each farmer will get ten beans and each monster will get boots that have been enchanted to boost your running speed. Once you have your starting kit, head to your starting position as designated on your map. The game will begin at 9am sharp." He grinned. "Best of luck out there, kids. Happy hunting!"

Ending Notes: I know its been a minute since I've updated here, but I can't really say I'm sorry about that. Truth is, I've actually written up to the start of the Ignihyde arc, but I'll be completely honest, sometimes posting anything on this site feels like screaming into a void. People just don't interact with this story here the way they do on other sites where it's posted. I'm not saying I need constant comments, but it'd be nice to hear from someone more than once every ten chapters or so.

I really, really wish all three of the triplets could've been a part of Beanfest. Though if DJ had been on the monster team, he and Devon would've spent the whole game trying to tag each other. Dominic would hate it until someone tags Idia out. At that point, all bets are off and he will be finding a way to take that person down, even if they're on the same team. We all saw how he got with the Ghost Bride; now he can get unhinged in the flesh. Add in the Lopezes extended family and friends and you've got a recipe for even more utter chaos than normal. Devon and Madison probably work out some cheer-based coordinated moves, Elena's just a savage on the playing field, and Angelo's just here to have fun and make sure nobody gets hurt.

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