A Fox Surrounded in Darkness (Twisted Wonderland x Encanto f!reader)

Chapter 33

"Calm down, big man," I patted Leona's shoulder. "I can talk to you tomorrow, if you like. But we cannot have an audience."

"Like Y/n said," Ruggie spoke up from behind Leona. "It's not technically cheating. As far as signature spells go, his is crazy high-level. Guy's gotta have some chops to pull something like that off."

"I've never put my power up for collateral, so I've got no idea how it works, myself," Leona lets go of me and takes a few steps back away from me.

"Wait, then what DID you put up for collateral," Jack questioned.

"What's it matter," Leona growled. "It's all in the past anyway. ANYWAY. Contracts with him'll last as long as that special scroll is around. WHich is why Azul makes very carefully worded offers."

"And then gets suckers to sign on with terms they can't possibly meet," Ruggie grinned.

"The only way to win against Azul is to not make a contract at all," Leona chuckled.

"What's that supposed to mean," I growled.

"How do you win against someone stronger than you," Leona asks me with a smug expression. "You use your noggin."

"I'll show you my noggin," I say as I get ready to fight Leona.

"You don't wanna fight him," Jack runs over and stands in between me and Leona.

"If I were in your shoes..." Leona made a thoughtful expression, like he was thinking about being helpful. "I'd start by brainstorming a way to shred the contract document itself."

"That's possible," I question, peeking over Jack to look at Leona.

"You guys are seriously pea-brained," Leona sighed.

"You're like a scammer's dream come true," Ruggie chuckled. "Let's start with the basics. Why would you take Azul at his word when he said his contracts were 'completely unbreakable'?"

"What," Jack turned to face Ruggie. "I mean, none of our attacks did a thing to it..."

"Have you considered the possibility that it was an on-the-spot demonstration put on as a bluff," Ruggie asked Jack.

"All magic's got a loophole," Leona stated. "Remember that pampered little redhead Riddle's signature spell and how it sealed magic? It seemed unbeatable at first, but it still had a weakness. Even the best magicians can't sling spells willy-nilly. So the idea that Azul's golden contract from It's a Deal is indefinitely unbreakable...is preposterous. Flat-out."

"So there's a way to beat it after all," Jack says. "Challenging the Leech brothers underwater is a losin' proposition, no matter how you slice it. We'd be better off trying to find a chip in the contract scroll's proverbial armor on land instead. I see what you're gettin' at. I dunno, though. That sounds an awful lot like playing dirty."

"Come on, Jack," Ruggie sighed, shaking his head. "Your principles are great and all, but you guys already took a fair shot against Azul and his boys on land. Remind me again how that went?"

"Not good," Jack huffed.

"Let's be clear here: these guys are scoundrels that swindle doe-eyed herbivores and take them for everything they've got," Leona smirked. "Why should you play fair when they don't? So what if it's taking the fight off the playing field? As long as the contract is annulled, you win. End of story."

"That's our Leona," Ruggie laughed. "The duke of dirty plays; the tyrant of technical fouls!"

"Us peasants should bow down to him," I giggle.