It took Yuu a while to manage to catch up to Jack, huffing as she ran to keep up before he finally slowed his pace.
"No, no..." Yuu wheezed a bit. "Leave the pregnant woman behind, I don't mind." She straightened her back, going to catch her breath as she finally noticed where the sea of anemone boys had crowded.
"It's the Hall of Mirrors...." Jack muttered, slightly tense. Yuu noticed Jack's ear flick as he listened to some of the whining from the boys;
"I was so sure I'd make the top fifty!" One cried.
"Blast it all, I've been had! That cheating cephalo-punk!" The other snarled.
"My school life is doomed now. Doomed!" A third lamented.
"It's not just the three stooges..." Jack murmured, getting himself elbowed in the side by Yuu. "Sorry. Ace, Deuce, and Grim." Yuu nodded at him.
"There are other students here with sea anemones sprouting from their heads." She pointed out.
"I'm seeing some sophomores and juniors here, too. And they're all going through the mirror leading to Octavinelle Dorm." Jack mentioned.
Yuu hummed in response, staring at the horde of boys as they squeezed through the narrow mirror. "Someone mentioned the term 'cheating cephalo-punk.' Who could that be?"
The younger wolf boy gave a shrug, uncertain. "Don't know... Let's head over and see what's up?"
Yuu nodded, grabbing onto Jack. "Okay, but you're gonna have to carry me cause I'm short as hell and I'd rather not lose track of another of my friends."
.
.
.
Upon entering the mirror, Yuu and Jack had almost instantly been bubbled and sent after the boys. Yuu stared in wonder and shock as she looked around.
"There's no damn way this entire place is under water..."
Jack, surprisingly excited, gave a child-like smile. "For real?! Night Raven College is so cool!" His tail wagged ever so slightly, making Yuu chuckle. He really was a kid.
The wolf beastman seemed to notice Yuu's amused expression almost instantly as he gave an awkward cough, his ears flattening just a bit. "Just remember we're treading on another dorm's turf. Keep your wits about you."
Yuu nodded, smiling at the tall, but young boy. "Sure thing, Jack."
.
.
.
Yuu looked around within the classy interior that almost reminded her of one of those classy clubs that she'd often seen on TV. The only difference, of course, was that this was a high school. Well, that and the sea of teenage boys with anemones on their heads.
"Found the sea of anemones, I guess." She muttered.
Jack whistled, slightly impressed. "There's gotta be a hundred-no, closer to two hundred people here." He looked at the design. "What is this place, anyway? Some kinda coffee shop?"
Yuu noticed the giant name at the front, dangling over a darkened stage and showed it to Jack.
He squinted as he looked at the words. "'Mostro Lounge'? Where did Ace and the others go?"
Yuu squinted, craning her neck over the crowd as if to search for her friends, at least in an attempt to catch the familiar blue glow of Grim's ears.
Instead, a voice rose above the whine and complaints of the anemone boys. "Well, well. What have we here?"
A spotlight pointed to a figure on the stage, his fedora lowered over his eyes. The stage lights brighten the dull room enough to reveal a young man standing in the cringiest attempted cool pose she'd ever seen.
"A band of unfortunate souls who failed to break into the top fifty. Welcome to the Mostro Lounge." He turned, an unsettling businessman smile painted on his lips.
"I'm sure you're all WELL aware of who I am, but let's go over it again anyway. My name is Azul Ashengrotto." He bowed, exuding an air of perceived superiority. Yuu instantly disliked this boy.
"I am the housewarden of Octavinelle Dorm, the manager of the Mostro Lounge cafe, aaand..." He smirked. "...as of today, you have to listen to everything I say."
"Say what?" Jack muttered, eyes wide in shock.
Yuu bit the inside of her cheek, annoyance flaring deep in her chest as she turned to Jack. "Hold me back. Hold me back, cause if he keeps talking, I'm throwing hands-" Jack grabbed her by the arm, securing the increasingly aggressive pregnant woman.
"You made a bet with me, and subsequently lost." He said this, grating Yuu's nerves. "As per terms of our contract, you are to devote yourself to my service until such time as you graduate."
Ace's voice rang through the air, slightly snapping Yuu out of her slight bloodlust. "Hey, hold on. This is all a huge scam!"
Azul pushed his glasses up, looking down at Ace. "You're...Ace Trappola, a freshman, if memory serves. Your accusations are insulting, frankly." He sighed, putting on an accusatory tone. "I upheld my end of the bargain and provided you with an impeccably flawless study guide for your exams. If you used it properly, you should have scored at least a ninety."
"Yeah, and I did. I got a ninety-two!" Ace rebutted defensively, making Azul give another smirk.
"Why, that's wonderful news! I'm delighted to have been of service."
"You never told me you'd given the same study guide to this many other people!" Ace protested.
"Yeah, Ace is right. No study guide could help us break into the top fifty when the deck's this stacked!" Deuce agreed.
"When everybody else is scorin' over ninety, even with my eighty-five, my spot in the rankings is no different than when I was failin'!" Grim yowled.
"Have you boys never heard of client confidentiality?" Azul defended. "'I want an easy way to score high marks. I don't want to flunk out. I want to goof off until the night before the test...' All of you fools-" Azul paused, clearing his throat. "I mean, gentlemen-had your own reasons for seeking my help with your finals."
Yuu stared at Azul as he defended himself, practically throwing verbal stones at the boys present.
"Details such as who made a contract with me, what kind of contract it was, and why it was made... That's all privileged data."
Yuu glared at the boy on stage, bristling at his words. "I'm gonna kill him-"
Jack held her back. "Calm down, Yuu. This isn't good for you."
"Who am I to divulge someone's personal information to a third party? I am a man of integrity, thank you very much." Azul continued. "You will find this exact topic covered extensively in the non-disclosure agreement clause on page 127 of your contract. I simply abided by its terms."
Yuu heard Grim's whimper. "O-okay, then what happens to the fire magic I put up as collateral for the study guide?"
Several other boys agreed, protesting Azul's harsh collateral.
Azul seemed to force a grin, looking at the boys who cowered under his gaze. "What's this? Have you really forgotten the terms of your contract?"
Azul summoned a contract, clearing his throat as he loudly read the outline of the agreement. Each boy flinched and cowered, lowering their gaze as they recalled the terms.
"As outlined in the contract, I now control every part of your beings down to every last hair on your heads. In other words, your powers are mine, to return or not as I please."
"That ain't fair!" Ace cried.
"So... when Grim and Ace refused to fight..." The young woman bit her lip, clenching her fist as she forced the frustration down, trying to drown it.
A sudden snarl beside her made Yuu snap out of her anger as Jack opened his mouth, fangs bared.
"Y'know, I've been listening to this whole spectacle...and ALL of you disgust me!" He snarled, releasing his grip on Yuu.
She looked at her friend, gaze more concerned than angry. "Jack..."
A familiar yelp echoed in the lounge as their presence was finally noted by their friends. "Yuu?! J-Jack?! What are you doing here?"
Yuu gave an awkward wave to her friends, noting how Azul's eyes narrowed at the two trespassers.
Something feels off...