*
"Trashing I'm faint. I just could not take this pain anymore,"
**
Heartslabyul Dorm - Tea Garden
Drip...
"Off! With! Your! Heads!"
"Bwaaaaaaaaah!" Grim and Deuce yelped when collared by Riddle's Signature Spell, causing Ace to look back in shock.
"No! Not the collar again!" Grim whined, desperately trying to get it off.
"Gah! I can't get it off!" Deuce says, tugging at the collar.
Y/n collapsed to her knees, whimpering in pain that was far worse than the last two she had experienced. Once again, she saw a vision of ink dropping onto a crimson red gem, absorbing it.
"Y/n?!" Ace yelped in surprise, kneeling down to her side.
"What's happening to her?!" Deuce asked in worry, placing a shoulder on the whimpering girl while Trey and Cater stood there in shock, not knowing what to go in this situation.
"How would I know?! Perhaps we should get her to Isfrid?" Ace suggested.
Seeing that Ace and Deuce were so close to Y/n, Riddle gritted his teeth in anger. "Trey!! Cater!! I want them thrown off the premises this instant!" he demanded.
"See what they've done..."
"...Yes sir, Housewarden," Trey and Cater nodded with remorseful expressions before they turned to Ace and Deuce. They harshly grabbed the boys, dragging them away from Y/n as Riddle walked closer.
"Y-you're supposed to be our 'mentors'!" Deuce stuttered in shock as Trey grabbed ahold of him, more worried about Y/n as Riddle approached her, his staff slamming in front of the crown princess to shield her from the two transgressors.
Y/n wasn't aware of what was going on, too occupied with trying to ease her pain, clenching her fist in agony. Riddle kneeled down gently toward her, caressing her back as he casted some ice magic to aid while whispering in her ear.
"Sorry, but we can't disobey our housewarden!" Cater apologized, his smile looking completely lifeless.
"Please, at least let us leave with Y/n!" Deuce pleaded as Grim thrashed around from Cater's grip, struggling to break free.
"Sorry, man..." Trey apologized as well, feeling guilty for dragging Y/n's closest friends away from her when she needs them most. After all, Trey's love is innocent. Even if Y/n doesn't have the same feelings as he does for her, Trey will be happy as long as Y/n was. For that is real love.
"Oh, that's how it's gonna be? Then bring it on!" Ace shouted.
"....." Ace, Deuce, and Grim tried to fight back only to be overwhelmed by their seniors. The last thing the three saw was Y/n turning her head toward them, her lifeless gaze in worry but filled with agony staring over at them. Y/n then gave a reassuring smile, mouthing that she'll join them soon, for she remembered Isfrid's promise.
*
Heartslabyul Dorm
Trey and Cater harshly kicked Ace, Deuce, and Grim out of the tea garden, landing on the floor with a thud.
"We'll T-T-Y-L, folks," Cater says.
"We'll try to calm Riddle down, so maybe he'll let you back in the dorm after you apologize," Trey mumbled, turning away from the boys as he and Cater closed the gates to the tea garden.
"I will NEVER apologize! Not to that numbskull!" Ace cursed.
"Gaaaah. But my Mont Blanc!" Grim whined, really wanting to eat the tart.
*
Heartslabyul Dorm - Tea Garden
"Hmph," Riddle huffed, smiled in victory as he stood up while helping Y/n up to her feet. "To collect ourselves and continue where we left off. We've got a croquet tournament to kick off today, after all," he beamed. Y/n looked over to Riddle and noticed something on his staff, more specifically, his magestone. She noticed that it was dirty, but before she could open her mouth to say anything, Riddle complained about the time. "See? We're already 15 minutes behind schedule! This is outrageous!"
"Yes sir, Housewarden Riddle," Trey nodded. The students were all silent, completely speechless as some didn't dare to utter a word.
"Are you really okay with this, Trey?" Cater asked in worry.
"What do you expect me to do about it?" Trey frowned in guilt.
"Housewarden Rosehearts..." Y/n firmly called out to him, causing Riddle to turn back with widen eyes from her change of attitude toward him. "I have to leave,"
"Huh? But why?" Riddle asked. "My Rose...was it because of what happened? I'm sorry that you had to see that..." he apologize. "Would you like to have some ice cream before our croquet match to make it up to you?"
"No..." Y/n denied. "I made a promise to my brother that I'll leave if even the slightest thing goes wrong. And...Ace and Deuce are my friends while Grim is my dorm mate...I must return to them,"
Riddle gritted his teeth from her response. "I cannot allow you to go to those rulebreakers, my Rose. They've tainted your purity, influenced your mind to be so forgiving toward them!" he says, trying to reason before he embraced her gently.
'This warmth...it's not too hot...' Y/n thought, scowling toward the floor as she felt Riddle's breath touch her horns.
"You have to understand that I can't allow them to stay with you. Until this is all solved, you will stay with me instead where I can keep an safe eye on you," Riddle says in a demanding tone as he caressed the hair at the back on her head.
Y/n looked up at Riddle, her dull eyes staring into his, causing Riddle to flinch from how dead her eyes looked up close, making him feel heartbroken and empty. "They didn't mean it. Ace and Deuce only have been here for a few days. They wouldn't have known every single article there is. You must forgive them...!" she harshly raised her voice, ignoring the lingering pain that slowly went away in her heart.
"I'm sorry," Riddle narrowed his eyes. "But it must be done. They've committed a grave offense! And you're be lenient with them...I cannot allow you to go down that path, my Rose!" he shouted. Suddenly, Riddle was forced to step away from Y/n when she slapped his right cheek, causing everyone to gasp.
"Step away from me!" Y/n exclaimed. Riddle widen his eyes in disbelief, placing a hand on his cheek that was ice cold from the lingering frost. Y/n looked angry. "I simply cannot be by your side when you're acting this foolish!" she insulted. "As I've said, I promised my brother that I'll be back at the dorm immediately if something goes wrong...and I believe that it's time. I'll apologize for the slam once you've calmed down," she says, turning away from Riddle, causing him to gasp.
"Trey...! Cater...! Don't allow her to leave!" Riddle snapped, completely pissed.
Trey and Cater immediately blocked her path. "You can't leave just yet, Y/n..." Trey says, frowning from witnessing the whole slap. "The party hasn't even finished and we have to stay until the end,"
"Please stay, N/n!" Cater pleaded. "If not for Riddle, then do it for us!"
"See you another time, Trey...Cater," Y/n waved.
"Huh? What do you- E-Eh?!" Cater yelped when Y/n just disappeared from their sights.
Trey turned to the gates and noticed that it has been just closed. 'She's fast...fastere than I imagined...'
Riddle gritted his teeth in rage as he helplessly watched Y/n get away from Trey and Cater so easily. 'She didn't mean her words...They must've already began their influence! ...Irina...!' he called out to the shadow behind him in his mind.
"There is still time left...You still have a change to have her safe and sound," Irina, the shadow that has been whispering in Riddle's ears says. "There is still hope left in your despair...the only difference is that I've failed in getting something that was mine back. I won't let you make the same mistake I did..." she gritted her teeth, remembering her past.
'I refuse to allow Riddle Rosehearts to suffer the same pain as I did when that WITCH stole my body and father...!'
'Of course...' Riddle thought, clenching his fist over his chest. His heart ached a bit, feeling like an eternity has passed when Y/n turned her back on him. "We're already behind! Quickly...set up the croquet match immediately for we must go according to the plan!" he snapped at the students to shuddered in fear but complied.
"...." Trey and Cater didn't say anything, only looking at each other in worry.
*
Heartslabyul Dorm
As soon as Y/n found her friends, she faceplanted on the grass in front of them from exhaustion. "Y/n?!" The boys widen their eyes when she suddenly collapsed. Deuce carried Y/n as he, Ace, and Grim walked out of the Rose Maze and rested for a bit, with Ace making a pile of snow that he learned from Isfrid.
Deuce sat next to Y/n after laying her down in the snow on her stomach, facing the group, looking like a snow bunny. Ace gritted his teeth, feeling rage toward his housewarden. "Dammit, man!! I'm ticked!!" he exclaimed, multiple tick marks appearing on his face. "I hate that little ginger megalomanic! Does he think HE's the Queen of Hearts herself?!"
"Literally thrown out for defiance..." Deuce sighed, looking completely defeated. "My dream of being an honor student is slipping further and further away..."
"It's alright, Deuce," Y/n tiredly says, reaching her hand out toward Deuce and patted him on the head. "You still have the rest of the school year...and the next 3 years to achieve your dream. You can also be an honors student at a University..." she assured him.
Deuce blushed from how bunny like Y/n looked. Laying on her stomach with her head peaking out from the pile of snow as her wings spread out on the ground. "Thank you, Rabbit," he smiled slightly.
"Stupid collar! It's so tight 'n heavy..." Grim whined.
Suddenly, a smirk appeared above Y/n resting body. "You're really racking up those collars. Quite the impressive collection," the voice says. Alarmed, Grim looked up and saw a floating head.
"BWAH?!"
"A floating head!!!" Grim screeched like a banshee in fear.
"Oh dear. It seems I'm not all here," The floating head says. Y/n looked up, noticing the person had cat ears.
"What? Er, so you do have a body, then? Who are you?!" Deuce asked, calming down from his fright.
"The name's Artemiy Artemiyevich Pinker," He introduced himself, making his whole body visible. He stood playfully with his hands in front of him like paws as he stood next to Y/n. "Am I a cat? Am I a purrrson? A mimsy borogove, perhaps? A mome rath with a knack for magic?"
"Arte...one more time?" Deuce asked, struggling to pronounce the guy's name.
"Heh heh. People usually just call me Che'nya," He chuckled. "Let's just say I'm not from the other side of the looking glass," he grinned.
"What dorm are you from?" Y/n curiously asked with making any contact as she just softly closed her eyes on the pile of snow.
Che'nya looked down at Y/n and smirked more. "Why don't you try to guess, young white rabbit~" he purred.
'Young white rabbit...another strange nickname...' A confused Y/n thought with a dumbfounded expression.
"Oh, I know! He's got animal ears, so he's gotta be from...uh...Bananaclaw, was it?" Grim asked, forgetting the name.
"Bzzzzzt! Incorrect. Bananas grow on trees, do they not? I, on the other hand, am a cat," Che'nya says, smirking down at Grim.
"And besides, other dorms have students with animal ears, too," Deuce reminded the weasel.
"Yeah, sure, whatever," Ace says, not in the mood. "Look, after the insanity that teapot tyrant put me through, I'm not in the mood for whatever this is. So beat it," he says, shooing Che'nya away.
"Riddle the teapot tyrant..." Che'nya softly repeated.
"Heh heh. Well, I can't dismiss that perspective as wrong," Che'nya chuckled. "He's always been so serious, even when he was little..." he smirks.
"Do you know something about him?" Deuce asked firmly.
"Perhaps there are things that I know, and perhaps there are things that I don't," Che'nya playfully says as he spun around a pale of the gazebo.
"Which is it?" Grim asked with a dumbfounded look.
"Sooo? Is there something you wish to know about Riddle?" Che'nya asked curiously.
"Who wouldn't?" Ace huffed, having an annoyed expression. "I'd love to hear the lore behind that control freak,"
"I believe his four-eyed friend may have the answer," Che'nya stated.
"Four-eyed friend?" Deuce pondered slightly on who it might be that Che'nya has talking about. "You mean Trey?" he realized.
"He's known Riddle since they were nothing but little rug-rats," Che'nya grinned, shaping his hands like glasses and put them over his eyes.
"If if you want to know more about Riddle, I would begin my quest there," Che'nya suggested.
"So they're childhood friends? If anything, he seems cold and distant when he's looking about our housewarden..." Deuce muttered.
"If you're oh-so purrceptive, then why are you even asking me?" Che'nya says, jumping off the gezbo. "Catch nya later,"
"H-Hey!" Deuce dashed over to the cat, trying to catch up with him. But as soon as Deuce's managed to be within arm's length, his hand phased right through Che'nya tail that turned into ribbons before his whole body disappeared with a hum.
"Hm hm~ Hm hm hm~"
"He vanished?!" Deuce yelped, almost tripping but he quickly caught himself.
"I tell ya, no one makes any sense around here," Grim huffed with a deadpanned expression. Such as the ways of Wonderland, for it was created by the imaginations of a curious little girl who always wondered what it would be like to have a world of her very own.
"He seemed purrrrfected to me," Y/n said with a straight face.
"Oh come on, Y/n!" Grim bemoaned.
"Well, we're not going to be able to do much in the way of schoolwork with these collars on," Deuce sighed, picking up Y/n, securing her under his arms as she lazily hung on Deuce, too tired to do anything. "So let's go see what Trey has to say, and then..."
"If you're gonna say 'apologize to Riddle,' you can forget it!" Ace exclaimed.
"Maybe we need to set up a little ambush...to make that ill-mannered bastard pay,"
"Bwah!"
"Oh...when did you get here brother...?"
"I've been here since you guys been kicked out!"
~To be Continued~