A/N – Longer chapter.
Finally it's Alerie and Yuu's time to shine!
Yuu's POV.
''Tsk. What a drag.'' she whined. ''There's not so much to do about it now...''
''Ari! Are you hurt?!'' I ran to her side.
''No, but my necklace pendant got caught in the crossfire and broke.'' she explained. ''But that doesn't matter now. It's the three soldiers who is in the way, that we need to take care of...''
''Yeah. They are to strong for my 'Doodle Suit' to affect them.'' Trey appeared by our side.
''I see. Hmm...'' Ari pondered about something. ''I'll take them head on! When those guys are defeated concentrate on saving Riddle!''
Just as she was about to run towards the three cards soldiers I managed to grab her by the wrist and make her face me.
Ace, Deuce and Cater arrived too by our side.
Judging by Ace's face and Cater's small frowns they must have heard about her plan to take them head on by herself.
''Hah! Are you crazy?! You can't take that many on yourself!'' Ace scolded Alerie at her behavior.
''No, Ace. You're wrong...'' Deuce defended her. ''She's stronger and smarter than us even though she can't use magic...''
Aces turned to Deuce with a angry expression and took him by his collar.
''Even you agree, Deuce?!'' Ace looked Deuce in the eyes looking for an answer. Deuce looked at him determined, as Deuce had witnessed Ari stand her ground multiple times.
Maybe that's why I didn't disagree either.
She always does everything alone.
''Alerie-chan...''
''Fine! Whatever! But you better come back alive!'' Ace ordered her.
''I'm not that weak!'' Ari exclaimed.
She looked at me in the eyes and I could see that she was determined and that no one could stop her now.
I released her wrist and she drew her sword revealing the beautiful, bluish color.
Third POV.
A/N – This is me describing a swordfight... Which I'm horrible at. The battle with Ace of Heart and Spade is inspired from Akame ga kill! episode 22, written by Takahiro.
The group stood and looked at Alerie with awe. Riddle stood on the other side and looked how his Card Soldiers fought her.
''S-She's fast!'' Yuu exclaimed in amazement.
As Alerie jumped backwards, the Ace of Hearts ran towards her and swung his spear at her only for her to dodge. Alerie immediately leaped forward and their weapons clashed against each other. The Ace of Spades thrusted his sword, but Alerie dodged by a hair and slid in between the card soldier. From behind, the Ace of Spade jumped at her. Alerie noticed him and countered him. Alerie now stood in between them. The Ace of Hearts leaped forward, and they continued to clash with each other. Alerie then feinted and leaped behind the Ace of Hearts and kicked him into the Ace of Spade. After they collided Alerie thrusted her sword through the Cards, and they disappeared.
''Is that all you got?!'' she exclaimed while catching her breath and readied herself to fight the Suit Card (it had all the suits on it.).
She held her sword in both hands and took her stance. The Card Suit did the same with his sword. The two leaped towards each other and clashed with their swords. To put some distance between them, Alerie spun around and kicked the Card Suit away and regained her composure. It summoned four smaller Card Soldiers, but Alerie took them out with one slash. After a few seconds they leapt towards each other again and clashed with the swords. Finally, the Card Suit began to make mistakes and Alerie took the opportunity to cut it in half making it disappear.
''I should a have known my pawns couldn't handle it.'' Riddle mumbled to himself. ''Your sword is not a normal one. It seems to destroy my pawns completely, making them unable to mend themselves again.''
Alerie's POV.
''Argh!'' I feel on my knees.'
My head was pounding and flashes of my memory appeared.
Yuu's POV.
''Ari! Are you hurt?!'' we all asked worried.
''N-No.'' she stuttered releasing her grip from her head. ''M-My memories! Some of my memories just returned!''
''We'll talk about that later!'' Ace exclaimed and helped her up on her feet.
Riddle summoned more spears, and we continued to repel them, until we started to best Riddle.
''They're besting me...? But how? I'm the one in the right. I have to be right. Because if I'm not... what was any of this for...!''
Riddle has gone madder, which made him summon more and more spears.
''He's gone ballistic!'' Grim yelped and ran.
'Wait, something's off about him. The more distressed he gets, the easier it is to land a hit...! If we keep pushing, then maybe...'
''Are you okay, Grim?!''
''Phew! I would be a goner if it hadn't been for this!'' Grim huffed while being in...
''The helmet I lent to Deuce!'' I took the helmet from Grim and put it on my head.
''Ari, I'm going to need your assistance! Destroy as many spears as you can, while I take on Riddle.''
''You got it!''
Ari leaped towards Riddle evading the spears, while I looked for the right time to strike. She was a little overwhelmed since she just fought Card Soldiers, but suddenly her hand glowed and another sword made of crystals manifested making her overpower Riddle. I took that as a cue to leap forward myself.
''You fool! What can a magicless louse like you hope to achieve?!''
''Don't underestimate a swordsman Riddle!'' Ari defended me.
Riddle sent more spears my way, but a his movements became sluggish I could tell the spears course, and dodged them all with ease.
''W-What's with those weird moves?!'' Ace stuttered.
''Ace! Deuce! Grim!'' I called out to them. ''This is a team match!''
The boys realized what I was saying, remembering our first fight against the monster in the mines.
''I got you. Leave it to us!''
''AAAHH!'' Riddle cried out. He swung his staff over his head ready to strike.
'An overhead strike to the head! Followed by a parry!'
After I countered his attack, his head was left open for me to strike him.
With a blow to the head Riddle fell over unconscious and the monster behind him disappeared.
Flashback
Riddle's POV.
''Happy 8th birthday, Riddle! Your cake this year is a low-sugar, high lecithin cake made with soy flour and nuts.'' Riddle's mother spoke.
''Thank you, mama, but uhmm, I...'' I gathered the courage to ask my mother. ''Just once, I really want to try a tart covered in bright red strawberries...''
''How can you say such thing! That pastry is a mound of sugar that's more like poison. One slice will exceed your ideal daily intake of carbohydrates.'' she explained. ''Today we're having tuna sauté with plenty of docosahexaenoic and eicosatetraenoic acid. At an age of eight your ideal caloric intake is less than 600 calories per meal, so don't eat more than 100 grams. Alright?''
''... Yes, mama.''
'For so long, a strawberry tart was what I wanted to eat. In the cake shops around town, they were on display in the windows, tarts that looked like jewels.'
''Let's end your classical magic studies here for today. You have until tomorrow to review the magical ethics that you learned today and get through page 50 of your language philosophy text. To that end, I'll give you an hour to study for your next potions lesson.''
''Yes, mama.''
''Your mother has an errand to run so I'll be back in an hour.''
'My every moment was crammed to the brim with every possible discipline. Time spent learning extended until I could do it. But for me this was 'normal'. '
''... Someone is knocking at the window?''
''Oh, he came!'' a younger Trey spoke.
''Hey, hey. Come and play with us!'' Chen'ya said.
''Who are you?'' I asked the kids.
''I'm Chen'ya. This is Trey. Let's play croquet.''
''Eh... I can't. Now is my self-study time. I have to keep studying.'' I answered, unsure of how my mother would react.
''Self-study means that you decide what you study. My grand-paw says playing is a kind of study, too.'' Chen'ya explained.
''Will you come down for a bit.'' Trey asked politely.
''... J-Just for a bit.'' I answered insecure.
''Can I ask for your name?''
''R-Riddle. Riddle Rosehearts.''
'Playing with Trey and Chen'ya was much fun. I learned new things, played new games. They taught me so much. From that day on, during my self-study time, without telling mother, I left my room.'
''Eh! Riddle, you never had a strawberry tart?'' Chen'ya was shocked.
''Mother says it's like poison, so I can't''
''Well, you probably shouldn't each so much...'' Trey said. ''My family owns a cake shop. Let's go eat some.''
''Eh... but...''
''One piece will be fine.'' Trey reassured me.
''I could go for one right about meow.''
'Atop a pure white plate, there was a brilliantly red strawberry tart. For me, it shined brighter than any jewel. The first bite was wonderfully sweet, it was better than anything I'd ever had. I savored each bite and got lost in it. I lost track of time.'
''How could you! You skipped out studying to go outside and eat a mound of sugar!'' my mother scolded me. ''Those two instigated it. I won't allow you to spend time with those bad children ever again!''
''I'm sorry, mother! I won't do it again! Please, forgive me...!''
''Silence! This is because you broke the rules. I should never have given you so much free time. I have to keep an even better eye on you...''
'I broke the rules, my time for fun was completely taken away. That's why the rules mother makes, I have to follow. In this town my mother is the most respected doctor, that makes her correct... But... tell me, mama. Why? Why does my chest hurt like this? Just on my birthday would be fine.'
'I want to eat a bunch of tarts. I want to play outside for hours. I want to make more and more friends.'
'Tell me, mama. What rules should I follow to make this pain go away?'
Flashback end
''Riddle!''
''Riddle! Wake up!''
'' *Gasp* '' I gasped and woke up from my my dream.
Word Count: 1659
To be continued