Into the World of Twisted Wonderland Pt 2

🐍 Schemer of the Scalding Sands: Chapter 26 🐍

"WOO! I win!" Floyd exclaims as Jamil sets up the board. "That's three for me!" Currently, the five were in the lounge, playing board games while Angel watched, curious about the game while also observing everyone.

"You're tough competition when you're focused, Floyd," Jamil says as he sets up the board.

"Hey L'il Jellyfishy, you should get in on this!" Floyd says, glancing at her.

"N-no...I'm good here," Angel says as she turns her attention to the table with Azul and Grim.

"Mrgyah! I lose again!" Grim whines. "You're relentless, Azul," he says as Azul sets up the board.

"That brings me up to five to zero," he counts. "I'd be an affront to the Board Game Club with anything less, of course. Meanwhile, Jamil's at..." He glances over to the two. "Two to three, I see."

"Hm?" Jamil says as he thinks about the score, presenting it to Floyd. "Oh, yes. It's been a while since I last played. I suppose I've gotten rusty. Back in the old days, Kalim would spend hours a day making me play with him, insiting on going until he won a game," he smiles. "Despite his middling skill. Imagine that."

"Ah, I see," Azul says as he pushes up his glasses. "Mm, yes, that would explain it," he mumbles. He looks over to Angel, seeing that she heard Jamil's statement, thinking about it.

"Explain what?" Jamil asks. "You sure love your cryptic little asides," he adds.

"Forget I said anything," Azul says as he presents the board to Grim. "So, you and Kalim essentially grew up together, correct?" He asks as he starts playing.

"We've been together for as long as I can remember, yes," he says. "Speaking of which," he speaks up, looking at Azul and Floyd. "You three Octavinelle boys have been friends since childhood, I hear?"

"Thaaaat's what they say!" Floyd says as he makes his move.

"What's that's s'posed to mean?" Grim curiously asks. "You're talkin' like you're not even one of 'em."

"We've been classmates ever since we started elementary school..." Floyd starts. "But personally, I barely knew Azul existed until just before we started middle school. So, I wouldn't exactly call us childhood friends."

Angel thought back when she knew about Azul's past. Technically, when she saw the three of them together, it was when Azul became a bigger kid, but based on how small they were, she would have never expected that at the time they were about to start middle school. "You got a serious case of tunnel vision, Floyd..." She says and Floyd laughs at her.

"I was a rather quiet boy myself," Azul states. "I hardly ever stood out in class."

"You stood out in other ways, though," Grim says. "Not many guys could claim to be as cute and round as-" Azul quickly covers his mouth.

"Grim," Azul warns, making Grim shake in fear. "I believe we went over this multiple times. You are NOT to dredge up the forbidden lore!" He emphasizes. Grim quickly nods, understanding Azul while he takes his hand off his mouth. Angel only thinks about the picture, quietly gushing about Azul as a kid and Azul notices, slight red dusting his cheeks.

"Yet here you are now, presiding over them as a housewarden," Jamil observes. "You have a curious relationship."

"Y'think?" Floyd smirks. "I just do what Azul says 'cause it's more fun that way."

"I strongly doubt Jade or Floyd have any binding allegiance to me," Azul shrugs. "This is all an elaborate game of pretend to them."

Jamil look at the two. "Your relationship is getting more confusing by the minute."

"If I made a poor choice as leader- or even simply a boring one..." Azul says. "They would turn on me instantly and seize the housewarden seat for themselves." Jamil hesitated his move and Angel noticed. "Not that I'd lose is they challenged me, of course," Azul states.

"We ain't got any plans to challenge him, either..." Floyd says with a smile. "For now, anyway. Aha ha!"

"So essentially, the three of you are all equal in each other's eyes," Jamil concludes.

"Yeah," Floyd says as he makes his move. "We stick with him now 'cause its fun. If it stops bein' fun, we drop him like a bad habit. Easy. It ain't like the vice housewarden is the housewarden's servant or nothin'," he looks at Jamil. "It's a pretty normal relationship, if you ask me."

"Normal, you say," Jamil says as he crosses his arms in thought. "I suppose that concept is lost on me. I've always been loyal of the Asim house. And that will likely never change," he adds.

The statement got Angel and Azul's attention. "..." They looked at him, seeing that he was calm with everything he said, but obviously, there was something wrong with what he said. Angel was reminded what Kalim said about Jamil taking a break. Could Jamil's ideals be different than Kalim's wishes?

The sound of footsteps approach the five, and Angel turned around, seeing that Kalim was walking towards them. "Oh, hey, guys," Kalim greets. "Are you still gaming?"

The sight shocks Jamil. "GAH!"

"What's this?" Kalim asks as he looks at the boards, seeing the different color marbles in the holes. "Ooh, Mancala!" He happily exclaims. "That takes me back. I used to play it for hours on end with Jamil."

"I thought you went to bed, Kalim," Jamil says in shock. "Why would you..." He clears his throat. "I've told you not to wander around by yourself. What if someone abducted you?"

"You're such a worrywart, Jamil. Chill," Kalim says in reassurance. "Jade's been with me the whole time."

"Wait, JADE?" Jamil skeptically asks.

"Yes, hello," Jade says as he enters the lounge. "I've been keeping Kalim company."

"Y-you..." Jamil says in shock.

"Kalim is so generous," Jade smiles. "He's been teaching me aaall sorts of things..."

Jamil looks at Jade. "Answer me. What did you do to Kalim?"

"What did I...do?" Jade questions. "I was just having a pleasant conversation with him. Isn't that right, Kalim?" He asks with a smile.

"Yep. I was just showing him around the storeroom," he answers.

"Gh...!" Jamil grunts.

"Oh yeah, Jamil!" Kalim calls out. "You know that silver and blue carpet we brought with us when we came here? Do you know where it is? I couldn't find it for the life of me."

Jamil quickly stands up and look at Kalim. "We're leaving, Kalim," he commands.

Kalim looks at him in confusion. "Huh? Why?"

He walks towards Kalim and grabs his arm. "Back to your room, now!" He says with a glare as he starts to pull Kalim.

"Whoa! Okay, okay!" Kalim says as Jamil pulls him out of the lounge. "You don't have to pull my arm out of its socket! Sorry, Jade. I'll get you the carpet some other time!" Kalim shouts as the two leave the room.

"Certainly," Jade says. "I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other very soon...Heh heh heh," he chuckles.

Once the two were out of a sight, a sudden paincame over Angel, holding her head in pain as she sees a familiar brief visionof someone slowly starting to be engulfed by a shadow. Everyone looked at the doorthe two left and got up, cleaning after their games, heading back to the roomfor the night.