You began to elaborate the information you've gained so far, as well as intentionally leaving a few details behind. After you finished, Riddle gave an understanding hum. "Ah... So the headmage asked you to investigate."
Cater snapped his fingers and grinned. "I knew it. Grim coming by for a get-well visit? That's just plain sus." He remarked.
Riddle crossed his arms. "I must admit that I found the circumstances odd as well. I've had Cater looking into it for me."
"And I found out that all of the victims have been talented players like Riddle and Trey." Cater informed with a rather weary smile.
"To be clear, it wasn't as if I had been pushed, or that I tripped. But I did feel a peculiar sensation, like...my body was moving of its own volition." Riddle closed his eyes, recalling what he felt during that previous event in the stairways.
"The other victims said basically the same thing!" Grim exclaimed.
"I believe we can safely surmise that potential Spelldrive tournament players are being targeted." Riddle stated with a scowl.
"If that is truly the case, it would mean that someone is purposefully causing these accidents to remove other players that they deem as a threat in the tournament, yes?" You proposed, tapping your foot against the checkered floor.
"The whole world will be watching. A good performance can make a player's whole career. It's no surprise that some would resort to underhanded methods to even the odds." Riddle pinched the bridge of his nose, releasing a troubled sigh.
"Sure, but it doesn't make much sense. I meant you'd know if you got pushed off the stairs by a gust of wind magic or somethin', right?" Cater asked, twirling a strand of his hair around his finger.
Riddle gave a firm nod in response. "Certainly. I felt no external force."
"And some of the other victims had accidents in the classroom! How do you explain that?" Cater placed a hand on his hip.
"The culprit can tell us all about it when we capture him. And we intent to help you do that." Riddle declared, seemingly already having made up his mind.
"Myah? YOU'RE gonna help us? What's your angle?" Grim's brows knitted together in suspicion.
"You offend us, sir. One of our housemates was "injured"- why wouldn't we help him find justice?" Cater slightly nudged your arm with his elbow and sent you a wink.
Ace rested his elbow on your shoulder, a noticeable smirk formed on his mouth. "We're all house-buds here. Count us in."
"He's gonna pay for what he did to Trey!" Deuce raised his fists in the air with a determined expression.
"You two seem awfully enthusiastic about this." Riddle raised a brow.
"Ahhh... I get it. You're gunning for that open spot on our team, aren't you?" Cater quickly pointed out.
Ace simply laughed and rubbed the nape of his neck. "Heh. Was it that obvious?"
Deuce, however, was more defensive. "N-no! That had nothing to do with it! I just wanted to avenge our housemate!" The navy haired male denied, turning his head away in slight embarrassment.
Riddle sighed, looking at the two freshmen with an unamused expression. "Fine... Your performance during the investigation will be taken into account."
"Woo-hoo!" The duo cheered, high-fiving with each other.
The redhead cleared his throat, returning back to the previous topic. "Now, if we're going to apprehend this culprit, we need to stay a step ahead of him."
"And we're gonna do that HOW, exactly?" Grim tilted his head.
"By predicting which student will be targeted next and covertly following him. Should the culprit strike, we will protect the target and then immediately pursue the attacker." Riddle asserted.
Your brows raised, having understood what the redhead meant. "Ah, so you're proposing that we conduct a surveillance and monitor through the campus and students?"
"Bingo!" Cater clapped his hands before taking out his phone and scrolling through it. "I've already identified a number of potential targets from among the most promising players. I'll form a group on Magicam so we can coordinate our efforts and then give you access to the album."
"Whoa, Cater, this is a ton of information!" Deuce said, nearly impressed.
Cater's grin widened as he shrugged calmly. "Now, let's move!"
"Let's nail this creep!" Grim leaped onto your shoulder, pointing his paw to nowhere in particular, just to create a pose.
Later, once today's classes have finished. You and the boys went to where the hall of mirrors was located. You approached a large mirror glowing a gentle lavender, silver colored in frame and elegantly designed with peacock. As soon as you took a step closer, a small light automatically illuminated from it. A bright, glittering flash was all that enveloped your vision, until you and the Heartslabyul group were teleported in the Pomefiore Dorm. You stood in front of the purple gates, outlined with white and gold. The exquisite, castle-looking exterior appeared massive!
Upon entering inside, you couldn't help but allow your gaze to wander around the stylish decorations and luxurious furniture. Cater hummed as his gaze inspected the stunning place as well, searching for a specific person. "Let's start here, at Pomfiore. There's a junior named Rook Hunt who's caught my eye. He has a bob cut and a fedora- you can't miss him." He informed.
"Rook is an exceptional player. He performed extremely well in last year's tournament. But he's a bit of an..." Riddle trailed off, scratching his chin as he searched for the proper yet inoffensive word to describe this said male. "...an odd duck, one might say.
Deuce's eyes slightly widened, his gaze noticed and lingered upon a certain student. "Oh, is that him sitting over there?" The navy haired male asked.
A man with blonde hair and a bob cut, as well as a wide fedora hat with a large, white feather on top was sitting in one of the tables from a distance, surrounded by his fellow dorm mates. He truly did seem to stand out. Even from a distance, his appearance was quite distinct. Speaking of his appearance, it definitely matched the previous descriptions.
Ace was quick to shield his eyes and look away as soon he even caught a mere glimpse of him. "Whoa. That dude's, like, a glitter bomb in human form. He's basically sparkling." He gasped.
The blonde Pomfiore junior's green eyes narrowed. "Non, Epel, non. When you lift your teacup, do not insert your finger through the handle. It is most inelegant." With a courteous smile, Rook corrected a boy with fluffy lavender hair and big, blue eyes, sitting opposite from him.
The latter vigorously nodded his head, adjusting his hold on the teacup with a rather confused expression. "Oh... Right. I'm sorry." He bowed his head and apologized.
A male with fair skin and purple eyes sat in the center. He had light blonde hair that faded into a shade of purple at the tips, along with two loose braids on both sides that connected at the back of his head. He released a sigh, pinching the bride of his beautifully-sculpted nose. "I just cannot decide how I want to do my makeup on tournament day! I think maybe that new foundation from Felicity Cosmetics?"
The sound of light-hearted laughter had escaped the hunter. "Oh ho ho! Mon belle Vil, Roi du Poison... Surely your beaute is not so faint that you need makeup to shine?" Rook responded.
"Of course I don't. But I don't dare miss an opportunity to accentuate it further!" Vil flipped his hair behind his shoulders elegantly.
"I admire that passion. Magnifique! Très magnifique!" Rook clasped his hands together and applauded his Housewarden.
"Uhhhh... And you're sayin' this guy is some kinda incredible athlete? Somehow, I doubt he's gonna be the target." Grim deadpanned.
Cater nodded in agreement. "Yeaaah, maybe we should peace out and move on."
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"Next on Cay-Cay's big list of potential targets are Jade Leech and his twin brother Floyd. They're both sophomores at Octavinelle House. Word is, they work so well together on the field that other teams don't know how to counter them." Cater informed, scrolling through his phone before showing his screen which displayed a picture of two, nearly identical-looking students. Both had teal colored hair, short bangs, and a dark-gray streak framing their opposite sides. One of their eyes was yellow, while the other was olive brown. What seemed to be the only difference between them is that of their eye angle and personality.
"Whoa! They have, like, the exact same face!" Grim exclaimed with perked up ears.
While they were occupied with examining the twin's photos, you looked around the campus until your gaze landed on the very same pair. "Is that them over there?" You questioned and pointed a finger towards them. Suddenly, you felt your arm being tugged before finding yourself crouched down behind a bush, along with the others. Riddle placed a finger over his lips, creating a shushing motion.
"Is it just me, or do they make all the other students look tiny in comparison? They're giants!" Ace commented, tone laced with slight unease as he peered through the bushes.
"I could see that being a big advantage for 'em." Grim uttered.
Deuce tilted his head a bit to get a better view. "So what do we think? Could they be in danger?"
Riddle hummed in thought. "I don't know about that. If I were the culprit, I'd save them for last." The redhead's brows furrowed, a small scowl plastered on his face as he continued to keep an eye on the more informal twin. "Just look at those two. I wouldn't want to get anywhere near them- especially Floyd."
Just from the mention of his name, Floyd suddenly appeared in front of your group "Oh ho ho! What is UP, Lil' Goldfish?" The tall male said with a sharp-toothed grin.
"Bwah! He spotted us!" At once, Riddle jolted up and took a few steps backwards.
Floyd simply continued his nonchalant demeanor and expression. "What brings you to our humble abode, huh? Playing hide-and-seek? Sounds like fun."
"F-Floyd... I've asked you several times to stop calling me by strange nicknames." Riddle crossed his arms, glaring up at the taller male.
"But you're so small and red! How are you NOT a goldfish?" Floyd remarked, his grin becoming wider.
"This guy seems like he's a few cans short of tuna casseroles..." Grim quietly muttered.
Floyd's eyes brightened up when noticing the creature. Unexpectedly, he took Grim and lifted him close to his face. "A talking cat? Now THAT'S something you don't see every day! Can I squeeze you 'til you pop?" He cooed rather sinisterly, causing Grim to furiously squirm around in his hold.
"Uh, no!? Stay away from me, weirdo!" The feline yelled, making a grabby hands gesture towards you. You swiftly swiped him away from the male's hands and held him in a slightly protective manner. Floyd's grin fell to a frown as his piercing gaze now landed on you.
Fortunately, a calm voice spoke up from behind before who knows what he would have done. "My, it would appear a contingent from Heartslabyul House has paid us a little visit. Here to assess the competition in advance of the Spelldrive tournament, perhaps?" The more formal and polite (only on the outwards) twin inquired.
Cater sweat dropped, raising both his hands in a surrendering motion. "Nah. We...can't really go into it, though."
"We take a dim view of spying at Octavinelle. I would ask you to justify your actions, suspicious as they are. And please, spare no details." Jade stated with a friendly smile, yet his eyes showed a different intent.
"This guy sure talks fancy, but man, his eyes are stone cold." Ace commented, feeling a slight shiver run down his spine.
Cater glanced at a non-existing watch on his wrist with a nervous smile. "Man, would you look at the time? Gotta run, guys! It's been real! Byeee!" Cater rapidly signaled for everyone to run. Gripping your wrist, Deuce spirited away from the Leech twins.
"Shoot! They're chasing us!" Deuce cried out, keeping a firm hold on your wrist as everyone dashed to leave.
"Hey, couldja stop, friends? Just for a second? We just wanna chat!" Floyd called out, outstretching his arms as he chased after your group with a menacing, sharp gin.
Riddle did not even dare look back. His only goal at this moment is to escape. "Decidedly, no! Full retreat!"
Once all of you managed to get far away enough, Floyd's tracks slowed down until it came to a halt. "Awww... They're gone." He pouted.
Jade simply chuckled. "Heh heh. I do enjoy a brisk midday jog. Alas, we'll have to pick this up another time. Come. We need to prepare the lounge for tonight." Placing a hand on his brother's shoulder, they turned and walked towards the opposite direction.
"Bummer. But all right." Floyd shrugged before glancing over his shoulder, specifically to the spot where you previously hid. "Hey, doesn't that girl seem interesting? Her hair kinda reminds me of a jellyfish. She's pretty cute too, like a tiny shrimp!"
Jade cupped a hand on his chin and nodded. "I agree. Let's see what surprises she has in store." A sharp smile formed on his mouth.
Back to your group, you had stopped running once you had reached Main Street. Everyone was catching their breaths. "...That was terrifying. What is the deal with those guys!?" Grim was leaning one of his paws on the pedestal of the lion's statue, using it for support as he panted
Riddle was fixing his bowtie and dusted some dirt off his uniform. "I'm not the one to ask. Those two have baffled me since we were freshmen together." He grumbled under his breath.
"Messing with them seems like a reeeal bad idea." Cater wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Ace took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. "If I were the culprit, I know I'D steer clear."
Deuce had a hand placed on your shoulder, helping you stay balanced. He did his best to appear calm, yet the concern was evident from his expression and tone. "Y/n, are you okay? Sorry for dragging you so suddenly." Upon gaining a nod from you, he sighed in relief.
"Then it's off to the next name on my list! It's getting late, so let's make this the last one for today, 'kay?" Cater glanced down at his phone with a smile, returning back to his positive demeanor. "It's Jack Howl: freshman, Savanaclaw Dorm. Rumor has it that he's a great athlete. Scouts from all the major teams are fighting to sign him."
"Classes are over, so he should be at the dorm." Deuce spoke, finally removing his hand off of you once he felt certain that you were fine.
"Oh, is it 5:00 already? Rule 346 says that "croquet must not be played after 5:00 p.m." I should head back to Heartslabyul and make sure that no one is breaking the rules in my absence." Riddle huffed and crossed his arms.
Grim clicked his tongue and narrowed his eyes. "I thought you'd rounded out some, but nope, you're as square as ever."
Riddle's cheeks suddenly blushed pink in embarrassment. "Th-that's not true! I assure you that I've become much less lenient about enforcing the rules." He protested with a pout.
Cater hummed and nodded in acknowledgement. "He really has. He's way nicer than before. And we all appreciate that Riddle diligence. So do what you gotta do, Boss!" The male made finger-gun motions towards the redhead.
Ace placed both hands on his hip with a small smile. "Then I guess the rest of us are headed to Savanaclaw House."