𝐖𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃 :: 𝐓𝐖𝐒𝐓

𝟑𝟎: 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐚'𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐞

Chapter Thirty: Scarabia's Finale 

[ Schemer of the Scalding Sands Arc: End! ] 

You blearily opened your eyes, trying to calm your breathing as you looked around. Out of reflex, you attempted to flex your hands– but instead, squeezed something.

A glance down and you noticed yours and Jamil's hands were still entangled, perfectly intertwined.

However, it seems your single reflex had awoken Jamil, who groaned– rolling his head around as he slowly opened his eyes, squinting at the light the lanterns provided. " Where...am I? " he asked, voice rough and hoarse as he looked around.

Azul hummed, leaning over the both of you– steely eyes narrowing ever so slightly at your conjoined hands. " Oh good, you've both awoken– and you've regained your senses. " he sneered lightly, eyes still focused on your hands.

Jamil blinked owlishly at the male. " Both, of us? " he asked in a whisper, dark eyes looking around before they fell onto your conjoined hands.

With wide eyes, Jamil quickly ripped his hand out of your own, watching as Jasir slowly helped you sit up– blue eyes glancing at his form every once in a while with pursed lips.

You watched, wincing from the mild headache that was starting to appear– as Grim whined, ears and tail flickering. " Mrah....the monsters gonna be hauntin' me in my dreams," he said.

Your eyes flit to Kalim's form, who was sniffling, tears streaming down his cheeks as his red eyes focused on Jamil's form. " Jamil.... " he whispered– a voice so hoarse and scratchy from his crying, that it made you wince.

Floyd sighed, lolling his head to the side as he crossed his arms. " Somebody get Sea Otter a tissue already. Guy's equal parts snot and regret," he muttered, side-eyeing the silver-haired boy with mild disgust.

Jade sighed, glancing down at the silver-haired male. " I suspect all that talk about punching him has gone out the window as well," he muttered.

Tyrian frowned, peering on his toes as he watched the scene. " Aw, I was kinda hopin' to see it... " he whined.

You watched as Kalim continued to stare at Jamil with tears streaming down his face. " I'm...so glad you're alive... " he muttered, eyes welling up with tears again.

Jamil sighed, sitting up as he leered at Kalim through his lashes, hood encasing the top of his head as he leaned forward– palm pressed against the floor of the dorm. " Must you always be so dramatic? " he asked, exasperated.

Kalim frowned– seemingly not paying attention to what the male said, and instead, continued to apologize. " I...I never knew how miserable you were all this time. All this time... " he paused, body wracking with sobs and hiccups. " I never knew...just how much I put you through... " he muttered, glancing down at his hands.

You released a soft sigh, watching the scene.

Kalim was blaming himself again.

And at this rate, you couldn't do anything about it– not that you would, in the long run. You had to remind yourself that your job wasn't to try and fix everyone's problems– you weren't a therapist– which these boys needed.

Kalim would have to find his voice for himself, as much of a pity as it was to say.

Because even if you tried to help him– you can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped.

Azul hummed, watching the scene with narrowed eyes as he pushed his glasses up. " Which led to this spectacular betrayal," he said, waving his arms around in a slightly dramatic fashion.

Floyd hummed, nodding. " Yuuup. Sea Snakes been mocking Sea Otter beneath his breath for pretty much their whole lives! " he chirped, grinning so hard that one might think his cheeks might just burst.

You glared, narrowing your eyes at the two. " Neither of you need to rub it in. " you hissed.

Kalim blinked, staring at the two Octavinelle students before gazing back at Jamil, who looked on– rather unimpressed. " Yes you're... " the boy paused, trying to find the right words. " Kind of a jerk. But, you're still the guy who's helped me all my life," he said, ruby eyes still filled with tears as he whispered.

" So let's just stop. We can stop holding back on account of our social status, " he said, nodding his head as Jamil stared in disbelief. " Starting today, we can be rivals that compete in earnest for the spot of number one," he said, smiling softly.

" I want...us to be equals... " Kalim whispered as he stared at Jamil. " And, I want us to be friends, Jamil," he said earnestly, completely truthful in all he said.

And to the public eye, it was sweet.

But to you it was heartbreaking.

Because you could see it on Jamil's face– the pure anger that radiated from him at Kalim's kind and innocent words. The anger that had been brewing since children, the one that he used in his overblot form– it wasn't over yet.

And you're not quite sure it ever would be.

Jamil blinked owlishly. " Equals? And friends? " he asked dark eyes closed before he let out a huff of amusement. " Why am I not surprised that's what you got out of this, Kalim? " he asked, opening his eyes as they narrowed at the boy,

" Then, let me say this as one equal to another... " he sneered.

" NOT! ON! YOUR! LIFE! " he screamed– making everyone in the vicinity wince at the sheer volume produced.

And you thought his lungs would be raw by now, you bitterly thought.

Jamil glared at Kalim, slowly bringing himself to a stand. " You thoughtless, sloppy, idiotic, clumsy, ludicrously oblivious, arrogant, indelicate pampered little rich boy! " he yelled, now towering over Kalim.

" Who in their right mind would ever voluntarily be your friend?! " he asked, eyes wide. " What's in it for me now?! Nothing! And that's what I want– nothing to do with you! " he exclaimed, crossing his arms as he glared down.

All was silent as everyone stared at Jamil– eyes wide as they absorbed what he said.

It was shocking to hear, of course– and to certain degrees you had to disagree with Jamil– because you would be Kalim's friend– but in the end it was also expected.

Jamil, his entire life– has never been able to voice his opinions about Kalim, or anything, really.

And now he did.

And it was explosive.

" Whaaaat?! How can you say that?! " Kalim exclaimed, brows furrowed as he looked up at the boy.

Grim blinked owlishly at the scene. " Yeesh. He must be feelin' better, 'cause he sure ain't pullin' any punches. " the cat demon said, wincing as he looked on at the scene.

You hummed, shooting Jasir a thankful glance as you finally adjusted yourself in a comfortable standing position– despite the raging headache you had currently. " Jamil has been a wolf in sheep's clothing this entire time– this is just him finally being able to let out his true feelings," you said, frowning.

Azul hummed, casting you a sly glance. " And what's wrong with that? I like the authentic Jamil– much more, as a matter of fact," he said, smirking.

You hummed. " I never said I didn't like it. " you shot back.

In fact– knowing who Jamil really was– well, it was reassuring to you, now knowing his true personality and feelings.

You didn't feel the need to constantly walk on eggshells around him, now that what he felt was out in the open.

Albeit, you knew for a fact that not everything was out in the open.

Jamil scoffed, eyeing Azul with distaste. " Your ingratiating smile is grossing me out," he stated bluntly with a sneer, crossing his arms.

Azul seemed to pay no mind to the words and instead pushed his glasses up. " I'll admit, I've been curious about you ever since we were freshmen," he said, shrugging.

Jamil blinked owlishly. " You don't say... " he sarcastically muttered.

Azul smiled. " You did a bit too good of a job avoiding the spotlight. It backfired and piqued my interest. See, you never got any outstanding marks, whether in the classroom or in practical studies. But, at the same time... " he trailed, eyes glinting dangerously as he looked at Jamil.

" You never got a negative mark in any class. Ever," he said, grinning before he shrugged. " It came across like you were maintaining a consistent five out of ten across the board. There was no way it could be unintentional," he explained.

You stared in disbelief for a moment.

Azul's intellect scared you at times– this was one of those times.

He had taken the time to notice Jamil's scores. Never getting negative marks was all it took for Azul's interest to be piqued?

You blinked owlishly.

You couldn't imagine what he thought of you.

" I've always had an...inkling– " Azul paused, realizing what he said and wincing before continuing on. " That there was more to it. And, finally, it clicked for me when I heard Y/n and Grim's story," he explained.

Jade hummed. " That makes sense. Azul is close to the top of his whole class year in Potionology...but you'd find his marks in Flight class closer to the bottom of the charts," he muttered, smiling dangerously.

Grim blinked owlishly as he huffed, crossing his arms. " That's kinda extreme in its own way, y'know. " he pointed out.

You could only hum along.

" My suspicions were confirmed when I joined you for that Mancala game the other night. You maintained a perfectly balanced win-lose ratio to keep from throwing Floyd into a rage. " Azul pointed out, making Floyd blink owlishly.

" Whoa, for real? You can do that? " he asked in awe.

Azul blankly stared at Floyd for a moment before sighing. " If you throw too much, it becomes obvious. And if you win too much, it sours the opponent's mood. There's an art to feigning defeat. You have to tune it just right. " the house warden explained.

You hummed, glancing at your hands for a moment.

An art of feigning defeat.

You forced down the laugh that wanted to build up in your throat– instead, you narrowed your eyes.

How pitiful, you bitterly thought.

Because you did the exact same thing.

You broke out of your thoughts as you heard Azul huff. " It requires considerable skill and mental fortitude to pull off. I knew I had you sussed, Jamil. Your true capabilities are nothing short of astounding! " he exclaimed in awe, steely eyes gazing at Jamil.

Kalim beamed. " I know, right?! Jamil really is something special! " he chirped– from behind Kalim you watched Jasir sigh in exasperation.

Azul hummed, casting Kalim a side glance before giving Jamil a charming smile. " You know, I think you'd get along far better with someone like me than with Kalim. How about it? Care to transfer to Octavinelle? You could join forces with me and make a name for yourself. " he said, coyly smiling.

You couldn't help the scoff that escaped your lips at that. " Like he hadn't already made a name for himself... " you muttered bitterly.

Jamil narrowed his dark eyes at Azul, a sneer on his lips. " Not on your life. And where do you get off, monologuing at me out of nowhere? You couldn't sound shadier if you tried! " he exclaimed before huffing, crossing his arms.

" I will be perfectly content never being friends with you, Azul. " he hissed, only driving home his answer.

You couldn't lie– as much as you were genuinely shaken about the entire situation, and as much as you happened to dislike Jamil at the moment– he was funny when he was throwing digs at people.

Jade hummed, hand slightly covering his mouth as he looked at the scene. " Goodness. That's a rather stinging rebuke. " he taunted, watching as Azul chuckled.

" I don't mind. " Azul said, narrowing his eyes as he flippantly waved a hand. " I've added a new truth to my secret collection today, so I'll call it even," he explained, shrugging lightly.

Floyd grinned, leaning forward on his toes as he lolled his head to the side– hair flopping ever so slightly. " Your secret collection of other people's weaknesses, you mean. " he corrected.

Jamil scoffed, rolling his eyes. " You can't call it a weakness when it's already been aired to the whole world. " he sneered, silence enveloping the room for a minute before Jamil turned to look at Kalim.

" There will be no more holding back for me," he stated, brows furrowed before he looked around the room. " Not against Kalim, or the rest of you– or anyone. I'm never throwing another competition again. " he spat bitterly.

You let out a small sigh, watching as Kalim smiled.

It wasn't beaming, but it was a smile.

Because Jamil– who he considered a friend– was finally taking control.

And that's all he could really ask for.

" Good! But I won't lose, either. " Kalim pointed out, grinning.

You hummed, eyes slowly drifting back to your flower– that lay crushed, wilted, and black on the floor ever so pitifully.

The sight instilled rage in you– bitterness.

How could something that means so much to you, mean so little to someone else?

The emotion seemed to swallow you whole– entering your mind and never leaving. It consumed your person and for a moment rage and sadness were all that you felt.

And so in a rather swift decision– an unprecedented decision– you made up your mind.

Swiftly, you made your way over to Jamil– casting a glance at Jasir who furrowed his brows in concern as he watched you walk up to the male.

Jasir couldn't understand what you were doing– but he caught the way your hands flexed in and out of fists, and the furrow of your brows.

You were pissed, he quickly deduced– and making your way towards Jamil.

It wasn't a very good sign.

And before anyone knew it– before you could even register what had happened, a loud SLAP resonated through the room.

You watched with shaky hands as Jamil's head hung low, hair and hoodie obstructing his face from your view.

You could only imagine his eyes were wide with shock– and with one glance around the room, you noticed everyone else was too.

Shocked.

You took a shaky breath in, attempting to hold your composure as you looked down at Jamil with pursed lips.

It was a harder slap than you did to Tate or Azul, you mused to yourself.

" That was for my fucking flower. " you grit out, form trembling as you glared down at Jamil. You took a deep breath in. " And this– "

SLAP !

" Is for Kalim– and everything you put him through. Everything you put us through," you muttered, glaring down at the male.

Perhaps, in your head– you were speaking for Kalim when you shouldn't have been. He has a voice, he can use it– and he has used it.

Perhaps, this was just an excuse for you to say that this was for yourself.

Something you would never admit in the long run– because you've grown accustomed to nothing being for yourself.

It was always for someone whether you wanted it to be or not.

Jamil owlishly blinked, slowly bringing his head up as he lightly touched his stinging cheek with wide eyes– gazing at you.

He'd seen you as someone who was demure, quiet yet snarky– intelligent, too.

And yet, right now as he gazed at you– cheek pulsating with pain, Jamil realized that you had something else to you.

Anger.

It was a breath of fresh air– and Jamil has seen you have negative emotions before– back when you first came to Scarabia. This was nothing new.

And yet, it was.

Because this time the anger was directed at him.

With one final look at everyone in the room, you walked out– fists clenched as the bitter emotions coiled around your body.

Although one overblot had come to an end– you didn't feel like this was the end.

And no eyes caught the black swirling– mixing with the light blue that colored your gem– twisting and turning like a wave pool as they mixed and turned. Slowly, the black dispelled– finding a home in the gem.

—

You frowned, eyes looking around in the dark. The moon's light shone brightly down on you, seeping in from the balcony and windows of Scarabia.

You didn't want to stay in Scarabia longer than you had to, but everyone had decided that it would be the best option– especially considering none of you had Crewel to help with injuries.

Which, brought you to what you are doing right now.

Looking for medical supplies– and Grim.

The cat demon had taken off in the middle of the night– much to your displeasure, and now, you had to find him.

You sighed, putting a box that you had picked up– back. There were little to no medical supplies that you could find, and you didn't want anyones scrapes to get infected.

That, and you still had a headache from the entire ordeal.

You failed to notice the figure behind you until he coughed. Turning around, you were met with Jamil– who stood in the doorway, brows furrowed and arms crossed as he looked at you.

" What are you doing? " he asked, dark eyes narrowing at your form.

You pursed your lips.

By all means, you did not feel comfortable near Jamil. Not for what he did– or what he said, or how he acted.

But he, also– was awake and surely knew where the supplies were.

And you weren't cruel– he was a victim of overblot, and needed to be treated.

So you did what you always seemed to do.

Push your feelings aside.

You sighed. " I'm looking for medical supplies– do you know where any is? " you asked, brows furrowed as you tried not to show how truly uncomfortable you were.

Jamil stared at you for a moment before sighing, walking swiftly past you, and reaching up– you watched him pull down a dark wooden box, decorated with intricate swirl patterns.

You followed Jamil to the table, watching as he set it down and began to dig through it. The male peeked up at you through his lashes, leering at you. " Are you looking for anything in particular? " he asked, looking back down.

You hummed, watching him sift through the box. " Bandages, medicine for a headache. " you paused, thinking of what Crewel would usually use. " And, I suppose just a...general healing potion? " you asked, almost unsure of yourself.

Jamil paused, blinking owlishly at you. " What are you even going to use these things for, anyway? " he asked, going back to the box as you watched him pull items out one by one.

" Us– you, me," you said plainly, grabbing the bandages and looking at them– twisting a part of it around your finger.

Jamil furrowed his brows. " Me? " he asked, disbelief evident in his voice as he looked up at you.

You hummed. " You, yes," you responded, setting the bandages back down. " You overblotted, Jamil– that's not something that your body can take just...easily," you said, frowning.

Jamil stared blankly at you for a moment. " You slapped me," he said, making you blink.

A moment of silence passed before Jamil let out a small laugh. " You slapped me– and yet now you're trying to take care of me? " he asked disbelief written across his face.

You hummed, looking away. " You crushed my flower," you stated plainly, eyes going back to the box.

Jamil hummed, narrowing his eyes at you. " I crushed your flower? " he asked.

You frowned, huffing as you looked at the male.

" It may not mean much to you– or anybody, for that matter. But it meant the world to me, Jamil. And you crushed it. " you spat, " The one thing that I've gotten with pure intentions– and you fucking crushed it. " you sneered, narrowing your eyes at the male.

Jamil stared at you for a moment, eyes wide.

He barely remembered what he said, or did– while overblotting.

But he could very clearly see the signs of distress in your eyes, and the anger mixed with sadness that you felt.

" Whether you want my forgiveness or not– or really, whether you deserve it or not, for what you've done– I thought it was best to let you know you're going to have to work a hell of a lot harder to gain it back. " you sneered, pausing.

You faltered. " You used your unique magic on me– I understand your emotions towards Kalim, and it's not my place to tell you what to feel or how to deal with them," you muttered, looking into his eyes.

" But you shouldn't bring other people into it. " you sneered.

Naive you weren't– Jamil had done horrible things to you, and the people around him.

You weren't blind to that fact.

But, you would also be a hypocrite if you didn't allow him a sliver of a chance to make things right with you– if he even wanted to.

Because you truly can't tell if he even saw what he did– as bad.

You furrowed your brows. " Your past doesn't excuse your actions– that goes without saying. What you worked so hard to build up and have worked on– trust – has now plummeted and you'll have to work on that if you want it back," you muttered, picking the bandages up again.

" I'm sorry that you've had a rough childhood– that wasn't fair to you and you shouldn't have gone through it. You were a child, who was looking after another child," you said, stressing your words as you peeked up at him.

" But what I don't think you realize is that there are people at fault here– of course, there are," you said, frowning. " But you don't seem to realize who those people really are. "

Jamil furrowed his brows.

He didn't understand.

You weren't yelling at him.

You were very obviously angry at him– pissed would be a better word– and yet you weren't yelling at him.

He didn't understand it.

He didn't understand you.

And for a moment Jamil took in your words– running them through his head like a mantra, trying to get them to stick.

Because his entire life he's only ever blamed Kalim– and yet here you were, subtly telling him differently.

Releasing a sigh, Jamil picked up the rest of the medical items– and with one hand, put the box back. His dark eyes glanced at you as he pursed his lips.

" Surely this isn't all you're awake for? " he asked, watching as you walked out of the room– attempting to change the subject.

You huffed, glancing back. " No– I'm looking for Grim... " you muttered as you scoured the room.

Jamil raised his brows at you. " Grim? He escaped? " he asked, furrowing his brows as he looked along the floor.

You sighed. " Escaped, ran off– whatever you want to call it he does it all the time. It's annoying," you said, irritated.

Grim showed you no respect– none.

And it was starting to irritate you more and more.

You were startled as Jamil grabbed your arm, stopping you from walking any further. You furrowed your brows, narrowing your eyes at the male. " What are you– " Jamil stopped you.

" Do you hear that? " he asked in a quiet voice, whispering as he let go of your arm, dark eyes staring in apology for a moment before they darted to the side.

You frowned but listened nonetheless.

" Black stone...I smell a black stone in this room... " you heard, the voice whispering and muttering.

Your eyes widened. " Grim? " you asked curiously, rounding the corner with Jamil following suit.

You and Jamil watched as Grim picked up a black, shiny, and familiar rock– holding it in his paws. And then, in one fell swoop– Grim swallowed the gem.

You furrowed your brows, " Grim! " you exclaimed– watching the cat jump in place at your voice, his ears flat against his head and tail twitching nervously.

Jamil sighed, eyes leering down at the cat. " Does he always eat things off the floor? " he asked with a light sneer, glancing at you.

You sighed. " Most of the time, yes," you muttered.

After a moment of silence, you hummed, glancing at Jamil. " Well, let's not waste time. The sooner we get these back, the sooner we can go to sleep," you muttered, walking past the male, who stared at you in silence for a moment before following suit– attempting to match your pace.

Cerulean eyes watched as your two figures walked down the hall, supplies in hand.

A grin appeared on the cat demon's face as he laughed quietly to himself, following soon after.

As you and Jamil walked down the hall, he glanced at you, dark eyes staring at your swaying form in the dim light of the lanterns that Scarabia provided.

" For what it's worth, Y/n– I'm sorry," he muttered, dark eyes gazing on the path ahead of him. He felt his heart race and perhaps it was from the nerves that spread throughout his body– because he's had to apologize to people of course he has.

But this was the first time that he truly meant it.

And wasn't just forced to say it.

You glanced at Jamil. " For what it's worth, Jamil– that means nothing," you said lowly– voice calm. " Your actions speak louder than words ever will– show them to me," you muttered, focusing back on the hallway.

And deep down Jamil knew you were right.

In a very messed up, bitter way– you always seemed to be, he realized.

And so with the silence of the hall, as you two walked down it, Jamil had made up his mind.

He would show you that he meant his apology.

—

You sighed, eyeing the familiar fountain that stood outside of Scarabia. The sun held no mercy on you as it beamed down, possibly cooking you if you weren't still in your red-clad outfit.

You glanced down at the fabric for a moment.

It didn't hold the most fond memories– but with what luck you had here, you would take anything you could get. And you were almost certain Kalim wouldn't mind you taking this– in fact, he could possibly offer you take it.

You don't know when you would use it again– but it wouldn't hurt to have just in case.

Even if you got kidnapped and defeated an overblot in it, you thought bitterly, looking back up.

" All right. Jamil's back in action, and we're done with our winter break assignments! " Kalim chirped, smile beaming. " You know what that means: let's throw a grand holiday party! " he cheered, arms spread out in the air.

Jamil narrowed his eyes at Kalim, sighing. " Have you considered not throwing a party every other day? " he asked, irritated as he crossed his arms.

Azul smiled, throwing Jamil a coy glance as he pushed his glasses up. " Oh, what's the harm? What could be nicer than a little celebration to commemorate the season? " he asked, grinning as he looked at the male.

You blinked owlishly. " A nice nap... " you muttered, looking away.

Floyd grinned, leaning on his toes as he eyed the fountain for a minute. " And I've got my swimsuit! Can't wait to dive right into that oasis," he said, grinning.

Tyrian nodded happily. " Yeah! I can't wait to swim...will there be coconuts? I like the shells! " he asked, chirping with wide eyes.

Kalim hummed. " I'm sure there will be! Now, then it's time for a parade! Bring on the elephants and peacocks, too! " he exclaimed, waving his arm.

You watched in awe as Elephants and Peacocks began to prance about, a large float with a cobra-like snake on the front of it wheeling past you, with Scarabia students leading the float and animals.

From beside you, Jasir chuckled, watching as you looked on with wide eyes. " Interesting, isn't it? " he asked. " Even we're not this extravagant back in Royal Sword," he said, crossing his arms.

You hummed, nodding in agreement.

You wondered, though– how did they get the animals into here in the first place?

Your eyes slowly drifted from the Elephants and to the Peacocks– of which, were purple.

You've never seen purple peacocks before, you mused to yourself quietly.

Soon enough, you all started to follow the large array of Elephants and Peacocks– with Kalim standing atop his gold and jeweled adorned elephant, glancing down at Jamil with slight nervousness and worry.

" Are you feeling better now Jamil? Let me know if you need a break. " Kalim said, watching with slightly worried eyes as Jamil walked.

Jamil, in return, scoffed lightly at the silver-haired male. " Enough. I told you that I'm fine now," he muttered, crossing his arms.

You blinked heavily– eyes becoming lidded to shield you from the sun, as you walked beside the large float. You slowly walked beside Azul, glancing down at the sand for a moment before looking back up at the male.

" I never did say thank you, did I? " you asked, voice low– but not whispering.

Azul quirked a brow, looking down at you. " For what? " he asked.

He knew what.

He just wanted to hear you say it.

And you knew it, too– but you would play into what he wanted.

You huffed. " Don't play coy, Azul. For lending me your jacket," you muttered, remembering the moment.

Despite how truly upset you were– the spark of kindness from Azul happened to make the memory a fond one.

Azul hummed, all too happy with your praise.

If it meant he got to hear you say thank you to him he would happily give you his jacket all the time.

And then it hit him, his eyes lighting up as he– gently – took his jacket off, and slid it delicately over your shoulders, taking in the way it practically hung off you.

You furrowed your brows as you glanced at the item, the heavy weight on your shoulders not an unfamiliar feeling– but an odd one. " What is this for? You do know it's blazingly hot right now, yes? " you asked, raising a brow as you looked at the male.

Azul hummed, waving his hand flippantly at you. " Yes, yes– I know. But, dorm uniforms are regulated with magic. They have more defense, and in cases like this– regulate one's temperature. I still have the rest of my uniform so I'll be fine, but you look like you're dying. " he said, glancing down at you with a small smirk.

And you couldn't deny it. You were dying.

The sun blared down on you as your feet crunched the sand underneath, your feet sinking into it every once in a while.

You released a deep sigh, pulling the jacket closer to you once more. " Well, I appreciate it, Azul," you said fondly, looking at him.

Azul only smiled down at you in response– a warm, caring smile.

It was a smile you liked to see, you realized.

All was silent for a while as you all trudged through the desert once more– the noises of the peacocks drifting in and out your ears.

You watched as Grim slowed his pace, huffing as he hunched over, ears flat against his head. " Man, trudgen through the desert is exhausting," he complained– and you couldn't help but silently agree.

Jamil leered down at Grim, dark eyes narrowing down at the cat demon. " No, you merely tired yourself out with excitement over the feast. " he hissed lightly.

Jamil sighed as he looked back at the parade float full of animals. " Speaking of which, we must hurry, or else the ice we brought will melt soon," he muttered, eyeing the float for a moment as he walked.

Grim blinked owlishly at Jamil as he stood up with wide eyes. " Myah?! We can't have that– come on, guys! " he yelled with furrowed brows, running past you and on up ahead.

You all watched as the cat demon ran away, making you sigh as Jamil blankly stared at the scene. " Where did all that exhaustion go, I wonder? " he asked sarcastically, refraining from rolling his eyes.

You could only sigh, tugging Azul's coat closer to your body– and Azul was right, it did regulate your temperature.

" It happens to disappear and appear when most convenient...mainly when it's not convenient for me," you muttered in distaste, walking beside the male, who could only hum.

Soon enough, you all reached the oasis.

Not before Kalim got you lost– but you reached the oasis and that's all that matters.

You hummed in content as you looked at the gleaming water that the sun bounced off of, making out the small Jasmine flowers that decorated the area, and the Lotus flowers that slowly drifted across the crystal clear water.

From the corner of your eye, you could see Tyrian climbing a tree, making you furrow your brows.

Kalim smiled, turning around as he clapped to gain everyone's attention. " Okay, that should take care of everything! Go on, everybody! Eat, dance, and sing the bad times away! " he chirped, excitedly looking around before his eyes landed on Jamil.

You watched as Kalim's eyes brightened as he dashed for Jamil. " Come on, Jamil. Let's dance! " he exclaimed, pulling Jamil to dance with him.

You watched as Jamil furrowed his brows, but finally got into the groove– dancing with Kalim– or, rather, around Kalim, you noticed.

Jade hummed as he looked at the two dance– watching with slightly narrowed eyes as Kalim dragged you in between him and Jamil. " They're both quite...limber. " he spat, glancing at Azul coyly. " Have you considered taking dancing lessons from them, Azul? " he asked, smirking.

Azul glanced at Jade, pushing his glasses up. " I think not. Some things are too tall of an order for merfolk. " he sneered, eyes going back to those dancing.

Although you were caught in between Kalim and Jamil– Kalim, who held your hand and lightly twirled you around– it was enough to satisfy Azul that you still wore his coat.

Although, perhaps not enough for Floyd.

Floyd grinned, walking over to your group and snatching your hand from Kalim, twirling you around. " Hey! Let me join ya' in the fun! " he cooed.

As you danced and twirled in the sand, Grim furrowed his brows, ears flattening as he looked in the far distance, tail twitching as he looked at the three figures. " Who's that runnin' up from across the desert? " he asked.

Your dancing came to a stop as you narrowed your eyes, watching as three familiar figures ran over to you.

" Ace? Deuce? Jack? " you muttered, watching as they approached– Ace waving his arms about to try and get your attention.

Deuce came to a halt as he looked at you, concern brewing in his blue eyes. " Are you okay, Y/n?! " he asked, almost kneeing over.

Ace, however, was in no better shape as he leaned on his knees, huffing– completely out of breath, yet peeked up at you through his lashes and hair. " Sheesh, this place is hot. Feels like summer over here! " he exclaimed with a frown.

Jack narrowed his eyes lightly as he observed your form– mainly, the red-clad outfit that was being covered from the very obviously not yours– coat. " What are you wearing? " he asked, eyeing your form.

You sighed, giving a short, exhausted smile to the male. " I'll explain later. But– I thought you three went home for the holidays? " you asked with furrowed brows, looking at the group of first years.

Deuce blinked owlishly at you, confusion crossing his face.

He didn't think it was like you to forget that you messaged them all.

" We...did. But, we came rushing back when you sent that SOS," he explained with furrowed brows, crossing his arms. " Your text said, ' Trapped in Scarabia, if you can– please find a way to help us. '. " he said, remembering what you texted.

He had to– the text scared him.

Because he didn't know if you were hurt or not.

" Then, we couldn't get through to you... " he muttered, voice trailing off.

Jack hummed, ears twitching. " You sent me something similar, too. " he reminded you, tail lashing behind him

Grim blinked owlishly at the three boys before looking back at you. " Oh yeah. I guess I did tell you to contact them..." he said, trailing before he glared at them, hands on his hips. " I knew you guys wouldn't be much help, and here you are, showin' up after everything's already solved. "

Ace blinked owlishly down at Grim before he sneered. " What?! The mirror gate wasn't open, so we couldn't warp back with magic! " he exclaimed. " We had to take public transportation all the way back to campus! " he argued.

You blinked owlishly at the three.

They rushed back here– to come save you.

And even though they didn't get here in time– they still went through the trouble to try.

And that made your heart race.

Jack huffed, glancing around. " I'm lost, though. You guys seem like you're having a good time," he said, looking back at you. " I'm not seeing any emergencies," he said, raising a brow.

Kalim and Floyd slowly approached you from behind, with Jamil trailing them not too far back.

" Who's this? Friends of yours, Y/n? " Kalim asked, smiling as he looked at the newcomers.

Floyd grinned as he leaned over your shoulder, heterochromatic eyes curling up at the sight of Ace. " Heya, Crabby. Are you here to hang out? " he asked, almost teasing the boy.

Well, not almost– he was teasing the boy.

Deuce furrowed his brows at the nickname, as did you. " Crabby? " he asked, looking between the two.

Ace huffed, rubbing the side of his head. " Yeah. I'm in the Basketball Club with Floyd. Jamil's in the same club as us too, actually. " he pointed out, eyeing the Scarabian male, who only stared blankly back.

You hummed. " Oh, that's right– Jamil is in the basketball club... " you muttered, remembering how you tested the club out– and miserably failed at it, too.

Kalim blinked for a moment before showing off a beaming smile. " Ooh! Well, then! Any friend of Jamil or Y/n's is a friend of mine. " he said leaning forward as he clasped his hands behind his back.

Jamil sighed irritably as he leered at the male. " Again, I am not your friend... " he said, sighing. " You're not listening, are you? " he muttered, sneering under his breath as he glanced at the male.

Kalim hummed– letting him know he heard, he just didn't care.

Which, you found amusement in– contrary to Jamil, who glared in irritation.

" Anyway, you came all the way here, so by all means, join in the festivities! " he exclaimed, expanding his arms in the air in excitement as he gestured all around him.

Azul hummed, walking up to the group– faintly brushing his coat that still lay over your shoulders. " We have pizza and pasta over here," he mentioned, pointing in the direction where the food sat.

Jade smiled. " What would you like to drink? " he asked the three, tilting his head.

All three boys looked with wide eyes. " Octavinelle?! " Ace exclaimed.

Jack's ears twitched as he glanced over your face, looking for any signs of distress at the sight of the Octavinelle boys.

And, when he couldn't find any– his guard lowered. Albeit, his sharp eyes didn't miss the coat that hung off your shoulders.

Deuce sighed. " Yeesh. It's one false alarm after another with you guys," he muttered, lightly shaking his head.

You hummed, refraining from frowning.

The situation was far from a false alarm– and to think of it as one was frankly, insulting.

But they didn't know– you hoped.

Regardless, they still came all the way to help save you– and that in and of itself was something to cherish, you thought.

A smile made its way on your lips instead, despite the bitter feelings you still held. " You care for us? How sweet of you all. " you teased, watching as Jack's face flushed, turning around as his tail wagged.

Ace's cheeks flushed red, but he shrugged. " No big deal, really. There wasn't much to do at home other than play video games anyway," he muttered, looking off to the side bashfully.

Deuce hummed, face even more flushed. " And it's a real jerk move to ignore you after we told you to message us if anything came up," he explained, muttering as he also looked off to the side.

Grim's ears and tail twitched in irritation as he looked at the boys. " You guys gotta keep that act up, huh? " he frowned.

You released a sigh, watching as Kalim attempted to start the party up once more– and successfully dragged Ace, Deuce, and Jack into the party.

From beside you, Jamil sighed, dark eyes watching everyone move and cheer about.

" I am surrounded by simpletons," he muttered under his breath, leering at people.

You could only hum in response.

Simpletons, sure– but people that seemed to...not be all that bad.

Albeit– you still didn't forget, as the bitter feeling in the pit of your stomach still sat.

A bitter reminder of what you went through, you believe.

And perhaps, what was to come.

—

You sighed heavily as you hugged your form, looking at Ramshackle with discontent. The building was covered in snow, and from how ramshackle it already was– you were surprised it hadn't collapsed from the weight of it all yet.

Grim let out a sigh of relief. " We finally made it back to our own dorm," he muttered, tail swaying as he looked at the building.

You hummed as you eyed the yard, glancing at all of the dead trees and snow piles that lay around.

" We've been out for a while, haven't we? I thought I would be happy to come back after what had happened, but I think I've been too spoiled at Scarabia for me to even care," you muttered, pausing as you lifted a gloved hand up to feel what lay in your hair.

A Lotus Flower.

For a moment, you thought back to how you found it.

—

You sighed as you slowly opened the door to your room, narrowing your eyes as you shut the door gently behind you.

Grim had decided to wait for you with the boys, while Kalim was spending the last couple of hours with Jasir.

You let your eyes travel back to the barren bed– one that lacked personality or taste, more like a hotel room if anything.

You narrowed your eyes as you walked closer, eyeing the pile of clothes that sat atop it neatly.

Your winter school uniform, you noticed.

But there was something that sat atop it.

A flower.

Gently, you reached down and picked the flower up with grace, inspecting the petals as you twirled it around in your hand.

A soft smile curled onto your lips as you let out a small sigh.

You knew who it was from– and albeit, while it was small, it was still a gesture.

And it was a start.

So, you gently put it in your hair and picked up the neatly folded stack of clothes, hugging them close to your body and you exited the room for the last time.

—

A small smile curled onto your lips as you felt it before you moved your hand.

You let out a heavy sigh. " Albeit, it is good to be back where no boys can possibly walk in on me getting changed," you muttered in irritation, holding the pile of red garments to your chest as you remember your time in Scarabia.

" Hey, you two! " a familiar voice shouted, and you watched the three ghosts appeared in front of you, grinning as they wrung their hands together.

You smiled politely at them– because for all it's worth, you've grown accustomed to their company, and quite liked having them around. " Hello, Mr. Boojangles, Shackle, and Emyl. " you greeted.

Shackle smiled at you as he tipped his hat at you. " You've been gone for so long, I started to wonder if you were gone, you know? " he asked, frowning as he scanned your form.

Mr. Boojangles nodded. " We worried ourselves half to death! " he exclaimed before snickering at his small joke.

Emyl nodded, smiling. " But hey, glad to see you're okay. We took care of tending to the fire fairies in the cafeteria fireplace while you were out," he explained, causing your eyes to widen.

With all that had happened– you forgot about feeding the fairies.

And it seemed Grim did too, as he looked at the ghosts with wide eyes. " Myah?! Oh crud, I totally forgot about that! "

You frowned. " I did too, to be honest. A lot was happening at the time, I guess I just forgot... " you muttered, looking to the side.

Shackle hummed. " By the way, there's a bunch of food waiting for you here, courtesy of the head mage," he explained, swaying gently in the air.

Grim's cerulean eyes widened in glee. " Mya-hah! Didja hear that? We're getting our feast! C'mon, Y/n, let's go check it out! " Grim exclaimed in glee, already running towards the dorm with the ghosts gleefully following him.

You sighed, hugging the clothes closer to your body– about to follow after them before a figure hanging upside down in front of you stopped you.

" Ah, you're back! " the voice chirped.

The voice in question was Lilia.

You blinked owlishly at the Diasomnia student, who still hung upside down, grinning at you as he moved his head to the side. " Lilia? Did you not go home for the holidays? " you asked, furrowing your brows as the male slowly descended.

Lilia hummed, smiling at you. " Oh, but I did go back home Beauty," he said, leaning back and forth on his toes as he watched you ponder.

You tilted your head curiously at the male. " Then, why are you here? " you asked, a frown on your lips.

Lilia hummed as he smiled at you, peering at you from under his lashes as he moved something out from his coat. In his hands was a black enveloped letter or card. His gloved hand delicately reached out to you. " I came to deliver a holiday greeting card from a certain somebody," he explained, grinning as he watched you take it.

You gently opened the black envelope, and carefully took out the card. The card was dressed in dark colors, with a shadowed castle and trees being the front of the cover– and in cursive, in black letters, was ' Happy Holidays '.

" He's a bit peeved that once again nobody invited him to any festivities this year... " Lilia muttered, sighing before he smiled at you. " So, if you happen to hold any with your friends, it'd be nice if you extended an invitation too," he said, smiling as he watched you read the card.

Your eyes trailed the cursive handwriting that resided in the card, signed with the notable M.D, and in brackets just under that, ' Night Husband '. A small smile curled onto your face as you peeked up at Lilia through your lashes, holding the card in your gloved hands.

" Anyway, that's all I came for. I bid you a pleasant holiday, Y/n," he said, getting ready to take off– if you hadn't stopped him.

Lilia looked curiously at you, curiosity swirling in his eyes.

You slowly removed your hand from his shoulder and gave the male a sweet, calm, and warm smile. " Lilia– tell Malleus I appreciate it, and that we'll have to talk soon," you whispered.

Lilia could only hum with a smile before he disappeared.

You let out a small sigh as you glanced back down at the card once more before you gently put it back into the envelope, and set it on the pile of clothes you hugged to your chest before you slowly made your way into Ramshackle.

—

You blinked wearily, glancing down at Grim who tossed and turned in his sleep, muttering about food like usual.

You huffed, glancing at the mirror that hung on your wall– narrowing your eyes as you watched it glow in place, illuminating the room. You furrowed your brows as you looked at it, sliding out of the covers and onto the floor, slowly– you walked over to it.

" It's glowing? " you muttered in confusion, leaning towards the mirror with curiosity.

You watched with wide eyes as a shadowed figure appeared in the mirror– a horribly familiar figure.

You were dreaming, right?

Because there was no fucking way Mickey Mouse was appearing as a shadow in your mirror.

You watched with wide eyes as the shadow moved around in the mirror as if looking for something.

And then to your absolute horror– you heard a voice.

That high-pitched– childhood voice.

" Is...someone there? Who are you? " it– he– asked, looking around.

You let out a light chuckle of disbelief because really you didn't believe what you were seeing or hearing.

Who would, really?

" Y/n... " you whispered, eyes still wide as you gazed at the mirror. Why you said your name you didn't know– but perhaps it was mere curiosity on what would happen once you've given it?

You watched with pursed lips as Mickey put his hands on his hips– catching a glimpse of the horribly oversized gloves he wore, even though they were shadows.

" It's got a strange, and beautiful ring to it! " he complimented cheerily, moving his head– as if still looking for you.

You let out a small sigh, lips parted as you stared at the mirror.

" And you are? " you asked softly, gazing at the mirror. You knew who he was, of course– but on the off chance that perhaps you were wrong, you still wanted to know.

Mickey– who you assumed was Mickey– let out his signature laugh. " I'm Mickey. Mickey Mouse," he answered, tilting his head to the side.

You pursed your lips.

James Bond style, you mused– it seemed to be a common way to introduce yourself in this world.

All was silent for a moment before Mickey broke it. " Am I dreaming again? " he asked, voice cutting through the silence. " I've had this same dream three times already. There are always living cards and a dancing music box, too... " he explained, voice trailing.

" But your voice gets clearer and clearer every time. Is it possible you're not a dream? " he asked.

You furrowed your brows as you took a step back.

He had heard your voice? This entire time? For how long?

" Where are you? " he asked, tilting his head to the side– and your eyes focused on his cartoonishly large, round ears.

You could only answer him with one thing– a simple sentence, a simple name.

" Twisted Wonderland... " you muttered, hands twisting into fists as you stared at the mirror with distaste.

A bitter reminder that you weren't home anymore.

And you don't even know if you could go back home.

—

You sighed, watching as your breath floated through the air in white smoke.

" Heya, Y/n! Happy New Year! " Ace chirped, walking towards you with his hands in his pockets, Deuce slowly following behind.

You blinked owlishly at the boy for a moment– registering what he said.

New Years.

The bitter feeling in your stomach seemed to get stronger as you said the words in your head like a mantra.

Because this meant you had been in Twisted Wonderland for months.

And you weren't any closer to finding a way back home– if anything you felt like you were getting farther from your goal, being constantly distracted by all that goes on in Night Raven.

Deuce sighed as he looked around, taking in the snow-covered path and trees.

Deuce, Ace, and Jack had gone back home after making sure you were alright– physically, anyway.

You didn't want them to stay here longer than they had to– because there was no need for them to.

The words cruel and selfish passed in your mind for a moment as you wondered what would happen if you asked them to stay– because you didn't want to be truly left alone, but the thought that they had family they could still spend time with was a forefront.

You took a deep breath in as you realized.

Wanting safety in those you find comfort in was not cruel– nor was it selfish.

Especially not after what you endured, you realized.

" I see you guys all the time, but it feels like it's been years, for some reason," he muttered, blue eyes glancing around.

Grim smirked, placing his hands on his hips as he leered up at Deuce, tail swaying behind him as he laughed. " Clearly you missed me over break. " he sneered haughtily.

You released a small sigh, leering down at the cat– ready to correct him for being rude– before a shadow towered over you.

Blinking, you turned your head, gazing up at Jack, who looked down at you through his silver lashes– golden eyes observing your form as his ears twitched. His eyes glanced towards the boys, narrowing them slightly. " Oi. Don't stand around blocking traffic. " he frowned.

Although, you realize there was no malice in his voice– this was simply Jack upholding his values as a good person.

As you moved out of the way, Ace looked at Jack with large eyes as he gawked at the male. They had seen each other not that long ago– and yet, Jack seemed tanner. " Whoa, Jack! Did you get a tan? " he asked.

You hummed, taking in the male's new tone– he did seem to have gotten tanner, you realized.

Jack blinked owlishly down at the male before rubbing the side of his head. " Did I? I spent most of my holidays skiing, so it might be from that," he responded, peering down at his hand with furrowed brows.

You hummed, looking questioningly at Jack. " It snows where you're from? " you asked, watching as Jack smiled– and you could only think he was remembering his time with his family.

As you moved around, still trying to move out of the way– albeit you slowed down to listen to Jack talk– Grim excitedly ran through your legs, " What's skiing?! " he asked, looking up at you as he darted through your legs.

You frowned, looking down as you tried to move away from Grim. " Grim– don't dart between my feet– " your voice was cut off as you bumped– or rather, fell into– someone.

Luckily neither of you fell– but it was a rather harsh bump. You frowned, looking yourself over before you glanced at the person through your lashes. " I'm sorry about that– are you alright? " you asked, brows furrowed in concern as you looked the boy over.

For a moment you stayed silent, analyzing the boy before you realized– this was Epel. The one from the cafeteria, and the one that was getting etiquette lessons from Rook and Vil, when you were looking for who was sabotaging students during the Spell Drive game.

As you peered at the boy through your lashes, Epel froze.

Time and time again Epel had watched you from afar– from the small glances he had seen you, anyway.

Lately, he had noticed his house warden and vice-house warden had taken a particular interest in you– one foreign to him, albeit he wished he could read their minds– even for a moment.

But all of that left his head the moment you two touched– and his cheeks lit like a fire, burning brightly– the red contrasting highly with the white that surrounded them.

Epel, out of reflex, covered his face with his hands– far too embarrassed to properly look at you, or gauge your reaction to his own.

In his head, he could only mope– no way would you find him anything near manly now that he was flushed.

Epel, so caught up in his emotions– even had tears streaming down his cheeks– sniffles echoing from under his hands.

Albeit, he was already crying when you had bumped into each other– that's why he was out there in the first place.

You frowned, watching the boy. You didn't know what to say– you weren't one to console people.

Ace, however– would take this opportunity and run with it. " Professor! Y/n is making a kid from another class cry! " he yelled, looking around with a grin.

You turned your head, narrowing your eyes at the red-haired male. " Shut it, Crabby. " you hissed, using Floyd's nickname before turning back to Epel, furrowing your brows.

" Epel– are you alright? You seem...flushed," you muttered. And it was true, in both senses of the word– but that didn't make Epel feel any better about the situation.

Epel sniffed as he turned away, removing his hands from his face as he attempted to wipe his tears– face flushed a burning red, he moved frantically, trying to conceal himself from you and your view. " Dagnabbit... " he muttered.

You watched with furrowed brows as Epel hastily walked away– never looking back.

Jack hummed as his ears twitched, watching the male scurry away. " He's in my class. If I remember right, he's from Pomefiore. His name's Epel Felmier. " he explained, crossing his arms as he glanced down at you.

You inhaled a little as you looked at the empty spot Epel stood in.

You hoped to see more of him.

—

Vil narrowed his brows as he looked out the window– peeking down at all the snow that covered the ground like a blanket. " So, he got away. " he grit, crossing his arms before he twirled around, lavender eyes scanning the room.

" Rook! Are you there, Rook? " he asked impatiently, resisting the urge to tap his foot.

Vil visibility relaxed as Rook poked his head in, smiling as he walked through the door. " You called, Roi du Poison? " the feathered man asked, tilting his head.

Vil huffed. " Capture him, and bring him here. Now. " he sneered, narrowing his eyes.

The blonde in front of him only smiled. " Oui. As you wish, my liege," he uttered, turning around as he walked away– just before the blonde could exit, Vil called out.

" And Rook? " he asked, watching as Rook glanced back.

" Keep an eye on her, would you? We'll be needing her soon," he muttered, turning around as he crossed his arms, looking out the window.

Rook only hummed, walking out and shutting the door behind him.

Vil's lavender eyes narrowed at nothing in particular, his fists clenched. " I'll never let you escape...I'll stop at nothing to be the fairest of them all. And she'll help me with that," he muttered to himself, looking out the window before turning around.

—

BONUS:

Azul watched with wide eyes as you slapped Jamil– the noise echoing throughout the room, winces on everyone's faces as Jamil's own face was hidden by his hair.

The slap was painful, no doubt– if the large noise wasn't indicator enough.

But none of these people– fools, really– could know what it felt like to be slapped by you.

Azul did, however– and as he watched you give the same treatment to Jamil with double the force, he couldn't help but let out a light sigh at the sight.

Not one of exasperation– but more one of awe– perhaps?

As he watched you stand there, anger ever so evident on your face– he couldn't help but turn away for a moment, averting his eyes from the sight.

For a moment Azul stewed in the way that his heart beat rapidly, reaching a hand up to faintly touch his cheek– the phantom pain was still heavily there, and yet– Azul didn't seem to mind it.

Jade, Floyd, and Tyrian could only watch as their house warden's face became flushed as he touched his cheek– expression almost heavy in a daze.

Floyd blinked owlishly at the scene, furrowing his brows as he narrowed his eyes. " Hey, Jade– why is Azul lookin' all....gushy? " he sneered, trying to find the right word.

Jade hummed as he, too, narrowed his eyes at the scene before glancing at his brother. " I believe Azul is experiencing new emotions. " he sneered.

Floyd frowned. " I don't like it," he muttered.

Jade only smiled in response– albeit, it was strained. " Neither do I. "

Tyrian blinked owlishly, looking between the two brothers and his housewarden.

—

BONUS TWO:

Jamil glanced down at his hands, relishing in the light that the lanterns provided for him.

Twirling around in his hand was a Lotus flower, prim and pristine in all of its glory.

The flower seemed to stare back up at him– taunting him, almost.

He had picked it up from the oasis earlier– and, like Kalim– had put a preserving spell onto it in order to keep it wilt-free.

Gently Jamil touched a petal before standing up– walking down the dimly lit hallways.

The male knocked gently on your door– just to see if you were in there– and when no one answered, he slowly opened it.

Walking towards your bed, he examined the pile of clothes that you had worn when you got here– leggings and all.

Swiftly and gently, he placed the Lotus flower onto the pile– taking a glance at it before he left.

It wasn't a giant act– by all means, he considered it small.

But it was just the start of many– the beginning of his road to redemption, he hoped.

A gesture of new beginnings.

AUTHORS NOTE

.......

So we made it.

How we feeling....

MC slapped Jamil twice how do we like it– hope that was satisfying to read LMFAO

Jack came w/ Deuce and Ace to find MC <3 I bet a lot of y'all forget she texted him LMFAOOO

The mouse showed up and MC thinks she's losing her mind (she is).

More OB fuel mmmm delicious.

Azul (and Jamil) masochist confirmed ??? Idk y'all decide.... (You all can thank Mars for that Azul scene)

MORE IMPORTANTLY: MC got a flower back </3 not THE flower and not from Kalim, but a flower. Lotus flowers commonly represent " new beginnings " which is what Jamil's current relationship with MC is trying to be.

Also I had SM fun writing her and Jamil's 'infirmary' scene it was my favorite thing to write ever omfg.

We saw Pomefiore!!! I can't wait to write Epel, Rook, and Vil they're gonna be so much fun and I have SO MUCH PLANNED FOR THAT ARC.

Speaking of Pomefiore– it's officially time to move onto it!! I have a LOT planned for that arc so I truly hope you all stick around for it <3

Ely I know you're gonna go fucking feral and I'm sure you already did just reading Vil's like 5 lines in this chapter.

Also hello Leona you finally get ur name in the A/N LMFAO

I think ???? That's it ???

As always I write and edit at night so if there are any spelling mistakes PLEASE let me know!!!

Maybe I'll see you next chapter, or not.

[ Fanart! By: Licorice (Juno) TYSMMMMM JUNOOOOO I LOVE IT ]

[ MC in chapter 22 ]