Azul soon woke up with a gasp, sitting right up that had alert the people around him, "Azul, how many figures am I holding up?"
The white haired boy looked at Jade who was holding his fingers up.
"Ei...ght?" He asked, confused but answered correctly.
"Okay. You appear to still be out of it, but I'm so relieved. We were able to stop your blot induced rampage." The timid teal haired twin stated but the Octavinelle Prefect's attention was elsewhere.
It was on Meg who was on the ground, lying so peacefully with his head on Yuu's lap.
The magicless boy looked at the brunette worriedly.
"Meg..." Azul frowned at the short boy's sight. Growing worried as well.
He's not going to lie but the brunette's words had comforted him.
The oldest among them looked at the situation and could only grumble "...Jeez, pain in the neck."
"Leona, you're in no position to talk." Ruggie told him with a frown.
Ace crouched down the Ramshackle Prefect's side, eyeing the unconscious Ignihyde boy, "How's he holding up?"
"Still no sign of waking up."
"What... did I do?" Azul asked, still finding all his memories of his overblot kind of hazy.
"You used magic so much that you overblotted. Do you remember?" Jade asked.
And Floyd pitched in, "'Give me your strength~' You were crying while running around sucking up people's magic. It was hard to look at, super uncool." The more energetic twin imitated with a frown.
"I... went on a rampage... Unbelievable..." The Octavinelle Prefect was in disbelief that those hazy memories in his mind were real.
"Anyone would be pissed if something they've been working on for so long got erased right in front of them." The hyena boy shrugged, "If someone went and cracked open my piggybank I'd never forgive them." He added.
"But you gotta knock it off with the shady business, y'know, shape up." Grim told Azul with a frown as if he was any good to give advices.
"And you should 'shape up' and stop using test notes created by someone else!" Jack told the racoon-like monster who shriek and hid behind his 'apprentice'.
"Nobody else could have put those notes." Yuu thought out loud, amazed at the white haired boy.
"...Eh?" Azul asked, confused and flustered.
"You're right. Azul's test notes got me a 90 even though I only spent one night pouring over." The ginger haired boy said, agreeing at the older's capabilities.
"Yeah. It was a great secret weapon." Deuce added in agreement.
"The headmaster told us you made that by going through the past 100 years of test questions. I can't say I approve of what you did but... Your determination is crazy impressive." The wolf boy also agreed.
And the white haired boy couldn't help but feel the tears threatening to fall.
Thinking about how Meg's words was right.
But he just put up a front and looked away, "...Hmph. Your words don't bring me any sort of comfort."
But since Floyd knew how Azul behave since they were a child, he couldn't help but tease the latter, "What now? Azul, are you getting a little misty-eyed?"
The more timid twin pitched in with the teasing, "My my, have you gone back to being the ink-spitting-crybaby?"
The white haired boy blushed and glared at his childhood friends, "You two! You should be under contract to keep that confidential!"
"Oops, my apologies." Jade chuckled, obviously not that sorry.
Azul then looked at the still unconscious brunette, "I still couldn't help but think how Meg knew about the pot." He frowned at that.
Floyd and Jade gave each other a look as if talking inside their minds, "We didn't said anything to Coral about your cute little past."
"We also didn't got any idea that he would soon turn his back on us... He didn't gave any signs of betrayal." The more timid twin stated.
"We only knew it as of late. Since we just realized that Sir Leona was hiding Meg's scent." Jack looked at his Prefect with a frown, probably waiting for him to explain.
The lion boy sighed, "Alright... Since the cat's out the bag. I'll explain in his stead cause I doubt that he will and I also don't want you herbivores pestering me with this shit."
"Meg right from the start planned it all out." Leona stated that shocked everyone.
"Right from the start? What start?" Azul asked.
"He said that right when he noticed all the strange grades. He knew that you were behind it and was supposed to be ignoring your business but the Headmaster came to ask him for help."
"I think we all knew about that part. We don't know what he and the Headmaster had agreed upon though." Jade stated.
"He didn't told us either." Yuu added.
"Well, he didn't told me too." Leona said with a shrug once again, not caring about the Ignihyde boy's deal with their crow of a Headmaster.
"But anyways, Meg knew that you'll come to him and will probably give him a deal to take him out of the equation. He's confident that whatever you offer him, he could decline. He said, quote and unquote, 'I'm a simple man with simple necessities.' though I knew that what the Headmaster had offered was probably a bigger deal than what you can offer him."
The Azul's eyes widened at that, "That's why he offered himself and worked at the Lounge... To take me out from the inside."
The lion boy shook his head, "He got no intention of taking you or your business out..." Leona then looked away.
"Something tells me that he knew that you were going to overblot ever since he's been spying around."
"That... That can't be, right?" Deuce asked, in disbelief with the Savanaclaw Prefect's theory.
"Meg's only been giving me some infos useful for the fresh-babies, he gets mad at me giving it out in my own way but he never does anything by himself... It seems that he's busy with something else." The lion boy explained.
"So, Meg's collateral..." Azul muttered.
"Was just a ruse. Basically you can only make an illusion of him, so while you were feeling confident, he's been hiding around using his Unique Magic."
"And since Jack's around the freshies, you marked him to hide his scent?" The hyena boy asked.
"Yeah, Jack's anger towards Meg's staged betrayal had him blinded towards the fact that everytime he and the herbivores plan around, he was there listening in." Leona then looked at Ace who was looking at the unconscious boy, guilty of accusing him before.
"It was better for him that you guys argued, it made Octo-punk trust Prey even more."
"But anything other than what I said, I don't know anymore." The lion boy ended that got them all silent.
Probably thinking how scary that the brunette controlled everything like a game.
But the wolf boy then remembered something, "Ah, oh yeah." He then took out a photo from his pocket.
"We brought the photo of Prince Rielle just like you asked. Since the sun is still above the horizon, that makes this our complete victory." The youngest beastman was about to give the photo when it was took by the oldest among them.
"What's this a pic of? There's a bunch of tiny merfolk, I don't get it." Leona asked that made the others looked at it too.
"An elementary school class photo...? What d'ya want this for?" Ruggie asked, looking at the white haired boy who seems to stopped functioning due to shock.
Floyd took the phot and took a look, "Aha, this takes me back. This is a photo from when we went there in elementary school."
He then pointed at some kids for the others to see, "Me and Jade are right here. And.... Nestled over in the corner is... baby Azul!"
"What?" They asked, shocked.
And this snapped the said octopus merman out of his daze, "Waaaaaaah! Stop!!! Don't look! Please don't look!" He exclaimed as he stood up and tried to take the photo away from them.
Jade who was holding it up high, finding the once huge cecaelia leaning up to take the photo from him, amusing, "My my, Azul. You sure perked up quickly. Why don't you rest some more? Giving up now is the best idea."
The white haired boy whined and stopped as the timid twin gave the photo to Ace who immediately started to search.
"Which one?"
"Hiding in the corner..." Even Leona pitched in and tried to look for a small octopus.
"Are you referring to the timid looking guy with octopus legs that's twice as wide as any other mer..." The hyena boy's words were cut off when Grim insensitively asked.
"Azul, were you really this chubby back in the day!?" The ginger haired boy gave the photo to Yuu who was still on the ground, his lap being used as Meg's pillow.
He hummed in amusement, "That's what this was about..."
"I totally get how you feel. Everyone has a past they want to erase. I didn't see anything! You guys should forget you saw anything!" Deuce told the Octavinelle Prefect who felt like crawling down to the pits of the Twisted Wonderland.
"You really just go with the flow, huh?" Jack asked the bluenette.
"Shit...! I was supposed to expand Mostro Lounge and completely delete my dark past at the same time... My plan was flawless..." The white haired boy whined, closed to tears.
"They say that those who chase after two rabbits will end up with neither." Ruggie chuckled at the latter's situation.
"I've gone through and edited every other photo... From the graduation albums to the film in photo studios. That photo from the museum was the only one I couldn't legally get my hands on..." The Octavinelle Prefect sighed in defeat.
"Stop going around and making other do your dirty work, y'know!" The racoon-like monster scolded.
Floyd took the photo again and smiled at how they all looked back then, "This pic is totally fine. I like the old Azul! You used to be so tasty looking!"
"That is not the problem here!" Azul whined once again.
"You worked so hard." The Ramshackle Prefect tried to comfort.
But the white haired boy crouched down to try and hide his embarrassed self, "I'm done. I wanna hole up in an octopus pot."
"Anyway. We brought the photo as promised. We cleared all of your conditions." Jack changed the topic that made the Octavinelle Prefect look up at the younger.
"Well, the contract is already dust in the wind, though." Grim stated as a matter of fact.
"But you know, I'm not cool with stealing, Azul. Isn't it your policy to keep your dealings legal, right. Take responsibility and get it back to where it belongs." The wolf boy ordered with furrowed eyebrows.
"Let's all go together." Yuu told Azul with a smile, still in his place because Meg still hasn't woken up.
The white haired boy stood up, "...Understood. But at least let me run it through some editing software to erase my shame..." He tried to negotiate.
"Hah, you don't know when to give up." Leona stated, kind of annoyed.
"He's right. Memories are to be treasured." Jade interpreted the lion boy's words.
But Floyd was just excited about going to the museum for sight-seeing, and not for a job, "So when're we gonna go? We're all going, right. I'm so excited! We haven't been there since elementary school."
As the racoon-like monster tried to sniff around, Meg started to show signs of consciousness.
His eyebrows were furrowed and his hand were starting to flinch.
The magicless boy never saw the brunette like this, it's beginning to concern him.
But before he could do something, the Savanaclaw Prefect had gained his attention after the grey cat ate another black stone off the ground.
"Is that raccoon always eating black rocks off the ground?" The Ramshackle Prefect looked at where Leona was looking.
"Not always but..." Yuu suddenly felt the brunette move from his lap.
"Is something the matter, Leona?" Jack asked his Prefect after noticing him staring at Grim who was happily chewing the black rock.
"Nah. It's nothing." The lion boy just said.
And suddenly, their attention went to the Ignihyde boy who started screaming while holding his head.
"AAAAGGHHH! HURTS.... IT HURTS...!" They were stunned and didn't know what to do.
Meg just crouched, his eyes were wide and he felt like his brain was being ripped apart.
"His phone!" The magicless boy suddenly remembered and tried to rummage through the brunette's pants pockets.
"Wait. His phone got a defense system that'll hurt anyone but the owner." Leona then took the phone from the magicless boy and tried to take a hand from the Ignihyde boy.
"Your phone! Meg! Snap out of it!" The lion boy almost growl, trying to get Meg's attention.
"His pills can be summoned through his phone... We need to get them..." Jack muttered, couldn't think fast with his friend still screaming in pain.
"Where is he summoning it from?" Azul also pitched in, making the wolf boy look at him.
"His room. I'll go!" The young beastman had gathered his thoughts and ran.
"I'll go with you!" Deuce told him and ran behind him.
"Meg! Look at me! Summon your pills! Here's your phone!" Leona tried to pull Meg up and saw him almost passing out again.
But the lion boy sensed that, he won't just be passing out at this rate.
"P-Phone..." The brunette tried his best to get back to reality.
He clenched his head on his hand and the other was holding his phone that the older forced into.
"Pills... Shit... AAGGH!" The Ignihyde boy managed to summon his pills but he ended up holding his head, crying on the ground once again.
"It hurts... Please..." He cried that Floyd and Jade had to do something now.
The twins looked at each other as the energetic one, pulled the crying boy up while the timid one took the pills and placed them in his hand.
"I don't know how many of them you need to consume, but the more of them, the more effective it'll be, I assume." Jade said and placed the pills into the screaming boy's mouth.
Closing it immediately, covering his nose as well.
At this rate, Meg had no choice but to swallow the pills.
After making sure that the brunette had finally drank them, the twins had let go of the shorter who panted and slowly calmed down.
"Call Jack and Deuce, Meg's already fine... We'll just need to bring him to the infirmary." Leona told Ruggie who nod at this.
"I'll go with you." Ace told the hyena and followed behind.
But not after looking at the Ignihyde boy with guilt in his eyes.
Thinking that he didn't even do anything for Meg after accusing him of betraying them. Or for thinking badly of him.
He hated himself for it.
Back at the group who observed the brunette's current state.
The Ignihyde boy slowly looked around and finally remembered what happened before his brain started to hurt.
"What did just happened to you Meg?" Azul asked, worried. Even if he tries not to show it, he couldn't help but do.
Meg probably had been maneuvering from the shadows, he still did saved him from his overblot.
Even though he was kind of a cause of it.
The brunette stood up and was about to quietly leave, "Just... A headache..."
But Leona stopped him from his tracks, holding his wrist, stopping him from his tracks.
Knowing the Ignihyde boy had gone weak, the lion boy just gently held it despite his anger.
"What do you mean 'just a headache'!? You were close to dying! I could hear your heartbeat slowly diminish! You were crying and holding your head in pain—"
Meg just pulled his hand away with a glare, "I already told you. It's just a headache... I'm going back to my room."
The brunette then walked away, walking past Ace, Deuce, Jack and Ruggie.
"Meg? Are you alright?" The ginger haired boy asked but he was just ignored.
"What's with him? After we just tried to save him?" The hyena boy asked his prefect as they walked towards the others.
Leona took the bottle of pills that the Ignihyde boy left with a few of them remaining, observing what they're for.
"He never is grateful when you try to do something nice for him." Grim stated with his arms crossed and a frown.
"He probably doesn't wants us to be digging deeper into his life." Azul told them, because he—for sure—doesn't wants his life to be meddled with.
"It's all blank... The bottle doesn't say anything about what the pills are for." The lion beastman stated after trying to look for clues.
"He told us that, since his power fully relies on his brain, it hurts. So, he needs the pills... To stay alive." Jack told them rubbing the back of his neck in an attempt to look composed, when in fact, he's awfully worried for his friend.
"You're saying that he's been saving overblotted students with his Unique Magic knowing it could kill him?" Leona asked, mad about this information.
He didn't need to know that there's a possibility of Meg dying for his sake.
Or for anyone's sake.
"What a rare case of magic... A magic that backfires on it's caster?" The white haired boy was amazed at this discovery.
"Was it because he couldn't overblot?" Azul speculated that earned a look from the others.
"It wasn't that hard to notice... His magic pen, no matter how negative Meg's emotions were. It just doesn't blot. How interesting..." It also made Leona think to himself.
"Yeah! Coral really is so interesting!" Floyd grinned at this, with Jade smiling beside him.
The Savanaclaw Prefect just give them a glare before walking away, hiding the pills in his pants pockets.
Just in case.