*
"Meticulous planning, tenacity spanning. Decades of denial is simply why I'll...Be King undisputed, respected, saluted, and seen for the wonder I am."
**
Classroom
The group soon arrived at Ruggie's classroom. Upon their arrival to class 2B, Grim slammed the door open. "All right, where's Ruggie Bucchi?!" the weasel exclaimed while scanning the class for the hyena.
"Right here," Ruggie waved toward them with a smirk. "Ah...It's you guys again," he recognized as he noticed that Y/n wasn't present. He figured that Y/n ingested the aphrodisiac inside of the cookie and it should be right about the time to go and fetch her. "I really hope this isn't about the deluxe grilled cheese. We traded fair and square,"
"Ruggie Bucchi, we need to ask you some questions about the spate of injuries that have befallen prospective Spelldrive tournament players." Riddle says, speaking a rather serious tone.
"Oh no." Ruggie winced slightly. "This sounds like some serious business."
"How about we move to the hall and keep this in the figurative DMs, if you catch my draft?" Cater asked in his usual cheery tone despite his obvious fake smile.
"You better comply," Isfrid said sternly. "We wouldn't want to do this the...hard way, do we?" he grinned darkly as pale fire-like ball formed above his hand in a threatening manner.
"I-I'm cooperating. Let's all try to be gentlement, now." Ruggie says, shuddering slightly as he put his hands in front of his chest in surrender.
*
Interior Hallway
"Very well." Riddle says as Isfrid shut the classroom door behind him as they surrounded the hyena. "While we do not yet know exactly what transpired, it is abundantly clear that your Signature Spell is a dangerous one. I will be casting 'Off With Your Head' to-" he began to inform but was soon cut off by Ruggie.
"But Riddle, are you sure you should be casting such a powerful spell without your magical pen?" Ruggie asked with a sly smirk.
"Huh? Wait...What?!" Riddle gasped, reaching to his chest pocket only for his pen to be missing. "What happened to my magical pen?!"
"Hey, Cater! Isfrid! Your pens' gone too!" Grim exclaimed, pointing over to the empty chest pocket of the two.
"You're kidding me! How?!" Cater yelped as he patted himself down in search of his magical pen.
"Tch." Isfrid clicked his tongue in annoyance. If only Ruggie knew that Isfrid had fooled him by allowing the hyena to steal his magical pen since he caught him but decided to do nothing to toy with him. 'That damn hyena is so easy to read...'
"Shyeheehee!" Ruggie snickered at their reactions. "Children of privilege, everyone one of you. So unprepared. So complacent. Like stealing candy from a baby," he smirked.
"Myah?! He cast his spell to snatch your pens away without us even noticing?!" Grim gasped in realization.
"Puh-lease." Ruggie emphasized. "As if I'd need magic to do that!"
"It's called pickpocketing, foolish weasel!" Isfrid shouts.
"Shyeheehee! It's exactly as Isfrid says." Ruggie grinned wider, holding three magical pens in his fingers of his right hand, waving it at them in a taunting manner. "Anyway, having a showdown in the hallway is not my agenda for today, so I'll be on my way. Toodles!"
"Hold it right there!" Grim demanded angrily.
"Curse you! You will halt if you value your head!" Riddle shouted, moving his hand in Ruggie's direction. "Off With-"
Before Riddle could finish his Signature Spell, Cater immediately grabbed his wrist while he placed a arm underneath Riddle's arm to stop him. "Whoa, wait a moment, Riddle! You just recovered from blot, so you shouldn't use your Signature Spell without your magical pen!" he warned.
"But he is escaping! Release me, Cater!" Riddle shouted, a tick mark forming on his forehead as Ruggie got away.
"Dude, your flamingo-feeding outfit was insane." Ace chuckled as he and Deuce walked down the hallway. "Who knew they made leopard print in hot pink?"
"L-look, it's not like I had a choice! It's all I had in pink!" Deuce huffed as he had an embarrassed blush.
"I can't believe we still gotta following weird rules like that." Ace sighed, rubbing the nape of his neck. "But I guess it's better than it was."
"Move out of the way!" Ruggie shouted with a mischievous grin as he ran in between Ace and Deuce who quickly moved away.
"Whoa!"
"Oh! Ace, Deuce! You boys are a sight for sore eyes!" Cater grinned in relief, still holding onto an angry Riddle.
"Huh? What's going on? Why are you running?" Ace asked as Cater, Riddle, and Grim ran over toward them. They didn't realize that Isfrid was already gone, having taken another route to hunt a hyena.
"The culprit! He's getting away!" Riddle shouted as Cater freed him. "You need to apprehend Ruggie Bucchi immediately! Housewarden's orders!" he ordered, pointing over toward Ruggie's figure that quickly got further and further away.
"Whaaat?!" Deuce gasped in surprise.
"What does this gotta do with us?!" Ace asked, pointing to himself.
"This is your chance to earn a spot on the roster!" Cater revealed, greatly encouraging the two boys.
*
Courtyard
"Ugh...I didn't expect you to predict my movements..." Ruggie bitterly says, sitting tiredly on the ground with some cuts to his uniform. He was unable to move from his spot, for durable strings keep him in place. "And who knew you could use magic...even your Signature Spell without a magical pen? It seems that stealing yours didn't make much of a difference..."
"You're quite easy to fool as well." Isfrid stated with a dark smile as he looked up at Ruggie who was in a tree, waiting for Ace, Deuce, and Grim to catch up to him after the hyena jumped out the window and did some parkour.
"Shyeheehee!" Ruggie chuckled as Grim, Ace, and Deuce fell to their knees, panting vigourously after all the running. "Three-in-one, and this is the best you can do? Pretty pathetic, guys," he teased them.
"*pant* What is WITH this dude?! He's crazy fast!" Ace says while panting.
"*pant* It's not just that he runs fast... *pant* It's like no terrain even slows him down!" Deuce panted out.
"Myaaaaaah...I don't even think I can catch him." Grim whined tiredly.
"You guys were just too slow." Isfrid bluntly says, looking at the sorry state of the three with a cringe expression as he kept his hold on Ruggie with his Signature Spell. Good thing the hyena was smart enough to not struggle unlike earlier when he was first caught. His shoulders were now sore.
"How did you even catch him? With your Signature Spell at that..." Ace asked as he continued to catch his breath.
"I simply went ahead and caught him," Isfrid bluntly answered.
"Huh...No wonder you weren't with Riddle and Cater," Deuce says.
"Shyeheehee! Compared to the backstreets of the slums, this is a cakewalk." Ruggie giggled with a nervous sweatdrop, still surprised that he fell right into a monster's trap. "Did you even think this through? You've caught me - but can you even be sure that I did it?" he asked with a sly grin, causing the boys to flinch while Isfrid narrowed his eyes.
"What? Of course you did it!" Deuce shouted.
"And what about evidence?" Ruggie slyly asked. "Do you have a witness who saw me casting spells? For that matter, did anyone snap a picture? You don't have anything like that, do you?" he teased.
"Yeah, but...still!" Ace grunted.
Isfrid loosed the strings on Ruggie before he released the hyena, letting him fall onto the grass with a thud. "You're nothing but a cowardly bastard," Isfrid darkly insulted.
"Ugh...A coward? I take that as a compliment, honestly." Ruggie says, wincing a bit from the pain as he stood up, ignoring the pain all over his body from Isfrid's Signature Spell. "Shyeheehee...! Next time you wanna come after me, do me a favor and gather some proof first. Though that sounds like a tall order given your track record." he pointed out.
"Grrrrr...This guy...." Grim growled, completely peeved.
"Since I got caught by Isfrid, I'm done playing tag for today." Ruggie says, walking over toward them with Isfrid's, Cater's, and Riddle's magical pens. "I'll leave those pens of yours I stole right here for you, okay? Toodles!" he tossed them into a bush, in which Ace and Deuce immediately grabbed them.
Isfrid felt a familiar sense in the sky, looked up, and saw a flying carriage that left a magical trail of peach blossoms. Instead of Pegasus or reindeer, the carriage was carried by snow white cranes. His eyes widen in recognition as the crest of the Spring Flower Magic Tower, which only confirmed his suspicions. 'What's big sister doing here...?' he thought as the carriage seemed to head over toward the direction of the infirmary building.
"Argh! He really gets on my nerves!" Ace exclaimed in anger.
"Housewarden Riddle is not going to be pleased." Deuce bemoaned, his head hung low.
"He did say 'next time,' didn't he?" Isfrid snarkily says as he placed his magical pen back into his breast pocket after Deuce gave it back to him.
"So you guys are still on the hunt, huh?" A familiar voice asked, gaining the boys attention. Everyone turned to see Jack, whose ears twitched slightly from irritation.
"Yup. Hey, here's an idea: Next time, maybe give us a hand?" Ace asked with a dumbfounded expression. "There is seriously something wrong with that guy."
"Why're you going through all this trouble for the sake of total strangers?" Jack asked sternly.
"I'm not sure I follow." Deuce muttered.
"I mean, I'd understand if you were out for vengeance for an injured friend, or something." Jack stated.
"Buddy, you're missing the point." Ace bluntly says as he and Deuce were genuinely confused by Jack's comment.
"What?" Jack asked as he was taken aback.
"Oh...for fucks sakes..." Isfrid groaned in annoyance, facepalming.
"We're not doin' this for anyone else's sake!" Ace admitted.
"This is just a chance for us to score some kudos by catching the culprit." Deuce bluntly added.
"Yeah. I'd do anything to get on my dorm's team so I can show my talent to the world!" Ace grinned brightly.
"Yeah, me too!" Grim grinned excitedly. "I wanna catch the guy so I can get this glorious mug of mine on TV!"
"I feel bad about what happened to Trey, but if there's an opening on the roster...I'll take it." Ace confessed.
"Ugh...all three of them share a single brain cell..." Isfrid muttered in disbelief.
"Wow. I was doubting whether I could trust people who would suffer like this for strangers...like Isfrid here. But it turns out you guys're total scum." Jack bluntly says, scowling at them in anger.
"If we're scum, then you're less than scum, because you knew all along, didn't you? You knew exactly who the culprit was." Ace bluntly pointed out, crossing his arms in frustration.
"Oh! I get it!" Grim exclaimed in realization. "That's why you were he wasn't gonna come for you - you knew the culprit was from your own dorm!"
"....... Except for Isfrid, fight me. The whole lot of you." Jack suddenly demanded, ignoring Grim's comment.
"Huh? Why should we?" Ace asked, perking an eyebrow up as he stared blankly at Jack.
"If I'm gonna trust you, I gotta size you up first." Jack says with a smirk while getting into a fighting stance. "Prove to me that you ain't all talk, and I'll tell you everything I know."
"Ugh, do I have to? I hate getting all sweaty." Ace complained.
"Now you're talkin' my language." Deuce smirked, his delinquent phase popping in. "Let's cut that smack-talk and THROW DOWN!"
"Myah?! I'll never get used to him flippin' out like that!" Grim yelped.
"Hey! You guys!" A familiar voice shouted. It was Cater, who eagerly ran over toward them.
"Huh? Cater? What's going on?" Isfrid asked with a concerned expression as the boy stopped just in front of them, panting like crazy. The prince noticed dried up tear stains on Cater's face and even smelled familiar blood, making Isfrid clenched his face darkly. "Why the hell..." he began, his fangs showing. "Why do you smell like Y/n's blood...?" he asked, pointing a shaky finger at Cater.
"Huh?! Y/n's blood?!" Ace and Grim exclaimed as Jack widen his eyes. He took a smell of the air, and indeed smelled the scent of blood coming from Cater.
"Did she get hurt again?!" Deuce asked in worry.
"Worse!" Cater breathed out, his hands on his knees. "There are students saying that Y/n has been assassinated! Earlier, she vomited blood in the cafeteria!"
"Assassinated?!"
"Oh god..." Ace gasped, clasping a hand over his mouth, looking as if he was about to puke as well. "I think I might actually be sick..."
"Where is Y/n?! Isfrid asked frantically, shaking Cater's shoulders in the process. 'I-Is that why big sister's carriage is here?!' he trembled.
"She's in critical condition in the infirmary....Riddle is already there with her but nothing is working!" Cater explained before he remembered something. "When we were about to loose hope, this women appeared, claiming to know how to effectively heal her..."
"That's our big sister-in-law, Lady Liliane!" Isfrid shouted in relief. "We must make haste...for there is still time to aid her majesty!" he demanded. Everyone nodded as they all headed to the infirmary.
'Don't worry...with big sister Liliane with us...you'll be just fine. Just hang on...your big brother is coming!'
*
Infirmary
Riddle sat on the side of Y/n's nursery bed, gently holding her hand as the school nurse injected medicine mixed with a special liquid into Y/n's IV fluid bag that was given by a certain lady who left to gather more herbs. The special medicine didn't neutralize the aphrodisiac in the crown princess's system, but it was better than the other fail attempts. The redhead was obviously getting impatient as he watched the fluid enter Y/n's arm. "My Rose...Why isn't anything working?!" Riddle shouted at the nurse.
"M-my apologies, Mr. Rosehearts! I have no knowledge on how to get rid of the aphrodisiac in a spirit's body...! This never happened before in history...so there are barely any medical records." The school nurse frantically explained. "We are lucky that Lady Liliane came by with this medicine...it's made with the most potent poison that will control the aphrodisiac until she comes back from making an antidote,"
"Please...Angelfish..." Azul mumbled, sitting on a nearby chair with a cold and calculated expression before gritting his teeth in anger while Kalim sobbed onto Jamil's shoulder, clenching his fists as he hugged Kalim in comfort.
"Y/n!" Ace and Deuce shouted as they burst open the door as they rushed over to Y/n's side with Cater, Jack, Isfrid, and Grim following behind.
"What's going on? Give me an update." Isfrid ordered the nurse who shuddered from his cold glare.
"Her majesty seemed to have ate something drugged with aphrodisiac..." The school nurse stuttered. "At this very moment, Lady Liliane is making an antidote..."
Hearing the nurse's words, Ace and Deuce were very confused. "B-But doesn't an aphrodisiac just enchance her sexual desire? Why does she look like she's on the brink of death?!" Ace asked.
"Aphrodisiac is capable of killing us spirits." Isfrid says, causing the two to widen their eyes in pure horror. "Since we have spirit blood running through our very veins, the aphrodisiac affects us as well..."
"Kill?!" Ace, Deuce, and Grim exclaimed in horror.
"Myaaaah! No!" Grim whined as he jumped onto Y/n's bed, pawing at her chest in an attempt to wake her up. "You can't die, N/n! The amazing Grim isn't 'amazing' without his favorite hench-human!" he cried out.
"Is there a way to save her?" Deuce asked.
"Indeed there is." A female voice says. The boys turned to see a beautiful maiden holding a small bowl with a mysterious white liquid that seems to emit cold air.
"Big sister...!" Isfrid beamed.
"Big sister?!" The boys gasped.
"So she's you're sister-in-law?" Cater asked.
"Yes. She's my eldest brother's wife." Isfrid informed. "The Master of the Spring Flower Magic Tower, Liliane Huang-Frostinelle. Mages who work in her Magic Tower specialize in medicine..." he says as Liliane walked pass them and over to Y/n's side. "But...how did you get here so fast...?" he asked.
Liliane sat on Y/n's bed and carefully raised her head with her left hand as her right hand held onto the bowl with medicine. "I happen to be doing official business nearby on the main island of the Land of Dawning." (The country Sage's Island is in) she answered, pouring the medicine in Y/n's mouth while using magic to have her swallow it. "Just before her majesty fell unconscious, one of her familiars took the liberty to contact me about what had happen and didn't waste any time to rush over." as soon as she says that, Y/n's body began to emit a white glow as her body became slightly transparent.
"Uh what is with this white energy...?" Jamil curiously asked.
"Do you see that dark mass of energy right...here in her stomach?" Liliane asked, pointing over to her stomach that had a dark ball of energy inside. The boys all nodded. "Right now, this medicine activates one's ability to see the transparent world...that dark mass is the aphrodisiac that is currently trapped inside by pure yang energy, but it would weaken over time in 2 hours and kill her by burning her insides..."
"That sounds very painful...." Ace winced.
"We are very fortunate that action was taken as soon as you got her to the infirmary..." Liliane smiled proudly at the boys before looking up at Riddle. "I need you to turn Y/n to the side while you get a bucket, Isfrid. Her body is just about to completely get rid of the aphrodisiac!"
"Got it!" Isfrid nodded as he opened the cabinet and grabbed a bucket and placed it onto the floor. Liliane eyed the black mass that turned white, causing some nearby plants to freeze. She placed a hand over the mass, a blood red aura emitting from the Master's hand.
Riddle helped Y/n to her side toward Liliane and Isfrid, even holding Y/n's hair as she foamed at the mouth. Liliane waiting for the right moment before using blood magic, moving her hand toward Y/n's throat with the mass following. "Now, push her head down to the bucket!"
Isfrid lifted the bucket to Y/n's mouth as Riddle gently pushed her head to make sure she's over the bucket. Azul watched with a pained expression as Liliane moved her hand toward Y/n's mouth, with Y/n fluttered her eyes open and gagged. "Bleah...!" she vomited, grabbing the sides of the bucket as Riddle supported her by holding onto her waist.
"Y/n okay now!" Kalim happily says, wiping away his tears as Y/n continued vomiting the aphrodisiac.
"Thank goodness!" Ace grinned in relief.
After Y/n was done, Riddle helped her to lay back onto the nursery bed as Liliane wiped away the crown's princess's face. Y/n took deep breaths as she rested against soft pillows with a comfortable blanket on top. "Brother...everyone...even Lili is here...." she mumbled, looking around the nursery room.
"How are you feeling, N/n?" Deuce asked with a worried expression.
"...I guess..." Y/n meekly answered as Liliane injected more poison into the IV. Riddle placed his forehead on his Rose's hand, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Phew...Hashtag #CrisisAdverted..." Cater sighed in relief.
"My...how will I explain this to Isdis..." Liliane mumbled, putting her cheek in her palm. She looked at Y/n with a concern expression. "I put more poison to speed up your recovery. Now you just need to rest until then, alright?"
"Mhm...?" Y/n nodded but she sounded confused.
"Ace, Deuce, Jack..." Isfrid called out as he looked over to the three boys to flinched under his tone of voice. "Let's head outside and finish the conversation now that Y/n's all better." he happily commanded.
"Seriously?!" Ace yelped in disbelief.
"Don't be too loud! Y/n just recovered from the drug!" Isfrid shouted.
"Isfrid..." Liliane called out.
"Hic!" Isfrid hiccupped as he slowly turned to Liliane, turning pale in fear upon seeing her smile. The boys grew confused on the noise Isfrid just made as Ace made sure to remember it for future teasing. Isfrid blushed in embarrassment in realization and immeidately grabbed Grim before pushing Ace, Deuce, and Jack out the door. "Let's go...!"
Y/n watched with a blank expression. "Do you want anything to eat or drink, Alice?" Cater asked with a gentle smile, sitting on the other side of Y/n's bed.
"How about a free service for a month whenever you wish to visit Mostro Lounge?" Azul suggested with a smile. "We will gladly welcome you."
"Let's have a party in your honor, now that's you're all better N/n!" Kalim happily exclaimed.
"Kalim...no." Jamil shut the idea down. "The hot temperatures of Scarabia will only hinder her healing process."
"Aww..." Kalim bemoaned.
"My Rose..." Riddle pressed his lips together before he leaned his head into Y/n's chest. "We're just glad that you are safe and sound..."
Y/n tilts her head in confusion, staring at Riddle who laid on her. "You guys are more clingy that usual...may I ask why again?" she asked while patting Riddle's head, caressing his hair.
The remaining boys just widen their eyes in disbelief with a sweatdrop as Liliane sighed, expecting this to happen. 'H-How did you forget that you just almost died?!'
'Good to know that she's acting like herself again...now I'm worried how Isdis would respond to me leaving without a word when I return...'
~To be Continued~