thanks 👏 for 👏 1k 👏 reads
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT SO FAR!!!
so there's this link i found on twitter that sorts the twst characters to your favour,,,
here's my top ten lmao
IT WAS ACTUALLY LABORIOUS TO SORT THESE CHARACTERS OUT?? I MEAN —
IT PAINS ME TO PRIORITISE SOME OF THEM OVER THE OTHERS SINCE I TRIED NOT CHOOSING BOTH OR NEITHER OF THE OPTIONS
aight but i was surprised that:
ace was last.
hey maybe it's because he's a sketchy motherfucker who knows??? I MEAN, I LOVE EVERYONE?? EVEN ACE??
anyways, due to all the school work and assignments, i haven't rlly been updating much,,,
people have been telling me high school ain't as bad as uni BUT BUT BUT BUT EITHER WAY, IM STILL SUFFERING
also i don't have much privacy when i try to update or play twst in general lolol i try my best to isolate myself whenever i do :)
that said i don't think yall wanna know abt me so let's just get going with the chapter—
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Friends — no, mabudachi.
To Jade, humans were an amusing entity that he coveted to understand a lot more. The sea, alike of Floyd's opinion, was a monotonous ambience without anything new to traverse, unusual things to discover, people to meet — in fact, trailing forward with Azul's dream was conceivably the most suitable opportunity he had ever made. Most of the time in his adolescence, Jade would swim around to the more mysterious ends of the sea along with Floyd just to kill time; they'd encounter eccentric glassware in fragments tangled up by the kelp and bring them back only to find out that they would have them disposed of the following day.
Ever since they had enrolled in Night Raven College, though, every single day was a moment for exploration. He hadn't omitted the brief yet blissful adventure he travelled with Mira — he wouldn't wish to omit — accompanying with the other interesting students who had informed him about the surface. For a moment, he also recollected about last year's Magical Shift tournament: the stalls aligned on the side weren't as glanderous and appealing as they weren't authorised by Azul, Diasomnia won for the consecutive time — despite it being their first time looking at people fight for a disk using their magic, the entertainment had vanished one by one becoming insipid.
That was, until this year.
First, Azul was the one who hosted it with his exceptional management talents. It was to be anticipated, Floyd and Jade had high expectations to see how far their octopus of a friend could go — and they weren't disappointed that it went well with flying colours. Second, he was able to discern and learn more about Mira. As sceptical as she was by fortitude, he perceived as if he was able to become friendlier with her just by noticing the girl hastening nearby with the shamrock evening gown, her hands elegantly embracing the facets of the skirt like some Disney princess as her heels clicked and clacked the smokey grey slabs encompassing the campus.
Third, he got to see her at the stadium.
No, not relaxing on one of the multiple benches acclaiming her hands in optimism with Valaine, exchanging looks of enthusiasm and competitiveness. He saw her clad in her gym attire, the tag indicating 'NRC2-E07' with parakeet green accents aligned on the sleeves and collar, bandaids in a spectrum of pigments fixed on her delicate legs as white as the very first snowflake of winter; and that look. The look on her face of reliance, determination — as if everything would be fine as long as she was there.
The problem was, she wasn't feeling reliable. She wasn't feeling determination.
In all rectitude, Mira was bulldozed.
Her weight had depended on the broom standing upright from the earth, the bristles aggravating her field of vision, her eyes still puffy no matter how much she had tried to get rid of it. Standing beside her were the members of her team, still giving her quite the harsh treatment.
Harsh treatment?
That was the cause of why she was now holding a broom, after all.
Mira traced her memory back before Diasomnia had made their way to the stadium, the moment being just a few minutes ago. At that time, she was on her way to find Malleus and the eccentric crew in hopes of being allowed to join the competition unless it was too late. Sure, everyone had already signed their names to participate — but she didn't, meaning that she had to go and get last-minute permission from the dorm leader as soon as possible.
Once ambers had locked with the two protruding horns that seemed like a walking landmark, she had dashed her way towards it in triumph.
"Malleus!" She called, her hands cupped collectively to raise the amplification of her voice. Spontaneously, the man had whirled around, exhibiting the other three members of Diasomnia behind him that all stuck out like a sore thumb. Trying to catch her breath, the girl slumped her back and rested her hands on her knees to inhale the air.
"My, look, it's the one who's been keeping a secret from us the entire time," Malleus puffed without looking at her — of course, in such a juvenile custom that almost made Mira roll her eyes and stamp her crimson running shoes to rival with Malleus' sudden change in character; alternatively, she resolved to furrow her eyebrows to betoken confusion — and, at least obtain an explanation to why he was behaving that way.
She folded her arms. "What? If I didn't keep a secret I wouldn't be in this school from the beginning."
"Hmph."
"My gosh, are you actually salty?"
Lilia released a chuckle, yet it didn't sound very chuckle-y as it should have enunciated like. "Don't mind Malleus' attitude, he's just a bit off — Mira."
Hooooold onnn a sec — ya'll are sprinkling some heavy NaCl there.
Mira turned her head to Sebek. "Sebe—"
"How dare you make Young Master feel such a way!? You should be ashamed of yourself!" He bellowed, causing her to nearly leap from the spot. The girl clasped her hands on her ears before clearing them for taciturnity, her face scrunching up in both hysteria and ambiguity, then anxiously twisted her head to the final member of the squad.
"My homie Silv—"
"Zzzz."
"Aight, never mind then," she lamented, planting a palm on her temples. "Guys, I know I kept something from everyone but the worst has ended! C'mon, Malleus, I have no secrets to conceal anymore, y'know?"
"Sob, sob."
That was the worst fake cry I've ever heard. He's legit just speaking it.
"U-Uh...what can I do to earn up for it then?"
"Well, there is something you can do..." Malleus immediately looked up after hiding his face from his hands — clearly no damn tear in sight, his voice clearing. "Why not participate in Magift with us? We still have one more spot."
Her optics twinkled from amber to the Tuscan sun as sparkles rose into view. "Really!? I'll do it — that's what I came here to tell you guys, anyway. I wanted to compete. So? What position is it?"
"You'll...
...be flying the broom."
And that, my dear readers, was how she ended up signing up for her death sentence.
In fact, she was so shocked that she was being placed to face her fear right on the bat. Unbeknownst to her was that there was already an incident where someone was hit with the disk, she didn't know who, but she swore she saw the ADeuce duo along with a panicked Grim scurrying to the direction of the infirmary as if they were painting the roses red before the day of the Unbirthday party. Mira shrugged her shoulders and looked back to where she was to be: the stadium.
She wasn't ready, unmistakably not; they were up against Savanaclaw, for macaroni and cheese's sake, how the heck was she able to equalise with such accomplished professionals to not let the team restrained by navigating the damn broom? First of all, Savanaclaw was by far the dormitory with the best physical strength and ability — Mira, being a Diasomnia member who learnt things via the hard way and was only good at using her magic, knew she couldn't stand a chance.
The girl was positive that Malleus and Lilia, at least, comprehended that she was worth gold when attacking using her magical pen on the ground — so was it just synchronicity that she was stitched up with the position she was the worst at?
The opposing teams were aligned to confront each other, one of each position to shake hands or act domineering enough in front of the cameras filming live by bequeathing the respect unrequited. In front of Mira with graphite hair and a pair of inhumane ears was the Savanaclaw member who was to play the role of handling the broom — her hand almost locking with his before a memory flashed in her head.
Smell.
"Ahh, my hand's a bit sweaty..." she muttered before pulling her jacket sleeve to hang off her arm. "If you don't mind." To her luck, the latter was kind enough to reach out, awkwardly so, and shake her hand from under her own sleeve.
"Oi, herbivore."
Mira blinked, perking her head above her to see the dorm leader of Savanaclaw towering over her with his height. She felt her eyebrows lower in slight discomfort; her height not helping her. Right beside him was Ruggie, a satisfied grin plastered on his features. Mira desired it this way, perhaps the lion really needed a hyena — their chemistry was akin to no other bond Mira could describe.
"What seems to be the problem?" She questioned, quite apprehensive to when the game would commence.
"I'm not going easy for this game," his lips curled into a simper of ridicule. She knew what it signified, very well, she was so used to being underestimated just because she was a female — but now, things were different.
She retorted the gaze with her signature smirk. "Hakuna Matata, bitch."
"That said..." Ruggie started before pointing to the broom in her possession. "Are ya seriously going for that position?"
"W-When I said I wanted to participate — I wasn't expecting it to be this way, okay!?" She broke her calmness with a slight rant, steam erupting from her ears. "I guess you can call this — uh, redemption. Aight, imma go and discuss things with my team now." With a wave, she detached herself from the alignment of members before making her way to her own team, gathering around each other to discuss their plan before the whistle had sounded.
"That reminds me, Ruggie — what's with that?" Leona inquired, still watching as the female second-year ran to the distance. Ruggie glanced up and dipped his head in puzzlement.
"'That' what?"
"Are you playing dumb?" He slightly growled before sighing, then pointing to the side of his own neck. "Your marking."
Ruggie gagged.
🌻
"The game between Diasomnia and Savanaclaw seems to be starting," Valaine murmured to herself before her cognisance of the stadium turned to a little boy bopping his head from side to side. She nictitated, quite astonished that there was a child alongside her ever since she had sat on her seat, then giving him a smile in courtesy.
The sun was soon to be set, the bright and brilliant shades of rich red, orange and yellow blended every so perfectly, the rays kissed her cheeks in warmth as she silently studied the little boy's small figure.
Right at that instant, she noticed the two fluffy ears fixed on his head.
My, my, what a cute lion.
"Good evening, Obaa-san!" The boy politely bowed.
Okay, never mind — am I t h a t old?
"Ah, yes," she maintained a smile, believing that the irk mark on her temples would disappear as soon as possible. She wasn't used to someone calling her with that term, especially because she was so inevitable that she didn't look very old compared to her age. "You must be cheering for Savanaclaw's success, seeing as those ears are the characteristics of them."
"I only came here to see Ojitan!"
"Ojitan?"
The little lion steered to the dorm leader who, a magical pen with the dormitory colour's jewel implanted onto it, wielded as he controlled the disk, Lilia and Mira on the broom — to his disappointment, did not affect his chances of scoring a single point as Malleus, standing at the end of the stadium, knocked out the disk with his magic. Valaine hummed in judgment, her heels tapping the pavement below her as she scuffled back on her seat to make some space for the child.
Despite the lion taking the support and whispered a 'thank you', he was still very much jumping on it with excitement.
"Obaa-san, which one are you wishing to win?"
"Well," Valaine cocked her head as she ceased her finger on her jaw, the long ends of her painted nail tapping her skin ever so gently. "I guess I only came here to see my daugh— son. You see the one with the messy dark green hair struggling with the broom over there? That's him."
Pointing to the girl who was indeed, a broom under her and secured with her two quivering hands — the end of the broom dangling below was Lilia shooting with the shamrock magical pen; Mira's highlights included her wearied appearance as she took a deep whiff of breath and stoop the front of the broom in order to hover just above Leona so Lilia could attack. At first, Lilia released scanty streaks of magic, envy green in hue, before the blasts got more powerful and more robust until two Savanaclaw members running beside their team had lost their potency in magic.
Mira felt her vision revolving as if she was in some cartoon — sure, perhaps she was just frightened of heights, but that didn't have to suggest that her physique was depleting from second to second. She was just about to get the hang of it. If it weren't for her to concentrate on being contentious and not allowing the latter team to gain a single point, she was sure she would have retched already. Rather, she shook the perception of being afraid off of her cognisance and stared at the goal at the distance.
The little lion hummed as he traced his eyes on the other team before he whirled around to meet several men with the abnormal ears on their heads twitching in consciousness.
"Ah! He's here!" One of them said.
"Cheka-sama!" The other called, the small group of men hastening up to them before discerning the woman beside him. Instantly, they heaved in astonishment — heads falling until their eyes met the terrain. "Apologies for disturbing you, Valaine-sama — our..."
"No, no, it's fine," she dismissed the problem with the wave of her hand as if her words were magic themselves, she had sealed their jaws up immediately. "Anyhow, you said this lion is 'Cheka'?"
"Yes, the subsequent heir of the—"
The latter servant nudged them by the shoulder aggressively, then hooked their hand to the side of their face, leaving Valaine without much of an answer, the whispers only going noticed to the other servant. "You know what'll happen if you reveal him!"
"But this is the duchess—"
Valaine focused her eyes, lifted a leg over the other. "Is there something not worth telling me?"
"That's absolutely not the case, Ma'am!" They proclaimed in harmony, then gawking at each other and returning the latter an exasperated appearance. The servant on the left, bearing dull navy hair and the one who nudged their pal a minute ago, cleared their throat. "I apologise for the commotion our young master has caused — we would like to retrieve him back—"
"But he's already gone," Valaine smirked.
Indeed, to the side of them was the now-missing child who seemed to have disappeared into thin air. They were all sure that he was springing from one place to another, the iron railing his only restriction, a beam of enthusiasm scattered on his face —but now there was not a single trace as if they have yet to find him. The two servants groaned.
"Farena-sama is going to be disappointed with us if he finds out that we've lost his child!"
As soon as they screeched in fright, the two promptly acquiesced down their heads before her ere scampering beyond like the whirlwind. She blinked, quite perplexed of the situation she was almost hauled into — but was jovial that the servants knew their boundaries. If she was a regular person like the surplus of the masses of people around her attending the tournaments, they were sure to ask her for assistance.
Now, time to see what's going on with the match.
Cerulean orbs displaced to the stadium but to her surprise: there was a crowd of students encompassing something, she couldn't pinpoint what because of the heads covering her field of vision; the seaweed colour of hair was nowhere to be detected. The first thing she reminisced was 'did someone get hurt?', mayhap because the gathering of students during high school when she was in her youth usually meant trouble — an exposé among two parties or some entertaining board game was being engaged in the populace.
She was convinced it wasn't the second option, so her eyebrows furrowed promptly to the rejoinder she inputted in her cognisance.
So what exactly happened?
The explanation was: three people had blacked out. This wasn't meant to befall, primarily according to Mira's OCD — as long as something wasn't a part of her plans, expectations or advantage, of course, she would find herself in a state of mess. She didn't have enough time for stressing — the problem was that she had fainted from over-exhaustion.
Fighting Nicholai had already sapped her energy, then sprinting to Savanaclaw's territory barefoot was another — but also participating in a physically heavy sport?
It was no wonder why she abruptly felt her eyelids counterbalance down her conscience, the grip of her hands on the broom slipping from second to second. Lilia, who focused only on attacking the members, found himself losing his balance; head rose to the front of the broom only to notice that the girl had lost the will to stay awake.
Before he was able to reach her using his free hand, the entire broom had collapsed from the air to their competitors, Leona and Ruggie running below them, the golden sand that seemed so rich erupted from the ground as she landed like a meteorite. Despite being able to dangle off and finally constrain the broom using his own spell, he was not able to save the girl who seemed as if she was falling off a horse.
"Oi—! What happened!?" The crowd above the stadium gasped as they pressed their hands to their mouths in utter shock. As the whispers orbited the void of confusion, the staff members in the event could do only so much but look at each other in frenzy.
"With these three, we'll have four people resting in the infirmary," Dire Crowley muttered to himself. Valaine swivelled her head to the side to see the headmaster of the academy resting his chin on his finger; she found herself question his care for his own job. Technically in terms of, strictly speaking, ethics or just his reputation as the headmaster in general — he would be rushing down to the field to solve the situation with a click of a finger.
She cocked a brow. "Shouldn't you be handling what's before us? This is being featured live on television, you know."
"My, my, my students are old enough to take care of themselves—! I'm nice, after all."
Anything but nice, alrighty-o.
Now, if Valaine knew it was her daughter who was to be carried to the infirmary along with the two Savanaclaw members — she would have knocked the headmaster or lock him in her unique magic; but she didn't, and that was Dire's motive. In order to not let her notice, he decided to hold a little conversation.
"The quandary in regards to Nicholai Ebony has been resolved."
"That was quick," Valaine answered with a scarce scepticism subtle in her speech.
"He did cause quite the commotion in Night Raven College. That is to be expected."
"And?"
With a swift motion, Dire took a seat beside her, the suspicious keys decorated on his waist cackling in harmony. "He's been sent to where you want him to."
"Well, that's good."
"Indeed."
"Now, I guess I'll see what the problem is," Valaine lifted her body, but to her dismay, she was pulled into another conversation. He would be chucked into a vacuum of nothing if he didn't stop her as soon as possible, so with a loud voice, he chirped loudly.
"Would you like to hear the history of Night Raven College?"
"Sorry? No, I'm—"
"Night Raven College is an academy aimed to foster students on magic education. We might have some of the mandatory subjects like other academies have, but most of them are not required to—"
"Pardon, Sir, I said I'm fin—"
"The dormitories we have in this academy total up to seven. Of course, as you have seen in the pathway, we have seven statues called the Great Seven..."
He isn't shutting up anytime soon.
🌻
The serenade of the celestial sky had meant one thing, the conclusion of the Magical Shift tournament. Mira found herself on the infirmary bed, a blanket draped over her body, as she processed her thoughts without acting too disappointed with herself. The scent of antiseptics wafted the air, beside her was a white first-aid kit, IV bags aligned on the protected display shelves.
Now blessed with a conscience, she tried her best to recall the reason why she was in the infirmary in the first place. It wasn't like her to feel exhausted without checking up on herself; perhaps it was the adrenaline of accomplishment and because she knew everything after that was fine. She wasn't used to happy endings, at least, but she knew very well that her life right now was something she was clearly appeased with.
Still clad in her gym uniform, she examined her surroundings. Shedding the slumber from her brain, she studied the latte hue bricks slabbed around her first before proceeding towards the bed she was lying on. The bed looked much better than the hospital beds when she had visited her past mother, remembering the steel cranks on both sides more like what she would find in a prison cell than an actual bed. The mattress would be too flat and stiff, emanate too much of antiseptics, or the pillow would be too delicate that sometimes she stole a pillow from home and brought it to her mother's aid.
Everything now was nothing more than nostalgia; a fantasy concealed deep within her brain fully blossomed like a star within the night.
She blinked as she heard the breathing of people.
It was too dark for her to see but once she took out the magical pen strapped on her right arm's pocket, the dim light allowed her to make out the figures resting on the other three infirmary beds.
So the one who was injured before my match was Yuu. Now that I'm awake, I guess I'll make my way out instead of staying here.
Carefully, with her two fingers, moving the blanket and moving her feet to her joggers on the moss green floor, Mira stole a glance at the three sleeping figures relaxing. She found her lips curl, not knowing why, but turned back around to escape from the infirmary for more fresh air. Mira knew that if she had stayed there she might awaken them from their slumber — wasn't like she was going to feel guilty if she did — but they had deserved the sleep after everything they had gone through.
A new feeling.
'Empathy', they called it.
"Now," she murmured to herself as she gallivanted along the corridor. The candelabra scattered on the walls were only dimly illuminated, perhaps to conserve utilities and magic. Albeit being a student in the academy, it was the first time she was able to contribute a moment of the late nightfall venturing around the school buildings — the kindling giving her some interest to traverse.
AH, THAT'S RIGHT — I NEED TO FIND VIL!
Accumulating up her pace with her aching legs, the girl made her way to the Hall of Mirrors. Her eyes caught up with the wide doorways that seemed more vivid than any other room, bending her back lightly as she parted the doors apart with her calloused fingers, her legs led her to the mirror of Pomefiore. For a time, she queried whether they would accept students visiting other dorms; curfew wasn't until eleven — she would plausibly make her way out before then.
"Wow, the dorm leader's room is really something," she muttered, her eyes landing on the most charming looking doors as she wandered off into the castle. Alike of Heartslabyul and Diasomnia, she didn't quite understand why castles were the 'trend' for architecture in Twisted Wonderland — conceivably most of the prestigious academies were like this as well. Heck, even most households with titles had such houses. Knowing that Disney tended to have such environments in the old times, she released her hypothesis by reflecting on the other world.
I wonder how Earth is doing...
In slight bewilderment, her knuckles tapped the door when she wasn't meant to knock until she had gotten her thoughts straight. Blinking before discerning what she had done, the girl quietly, but amateurishly waited for the light from the other side of the room to shine upon her.
That was if she didn't look up so early.
In front of her was the upperclassman that she was finding — yet a face mask rested on his face and two cucumbers resting on his palm. Protecting his skin from any hair strands was a soft, pale cotton headband, his sleepwear was made of luxurious silk in a hue of violet.
Puffing her cheeks involuntarily, ready to erupt into laughter from the sight in front of her, she contrived to stop right in time once she saw the irk mark of disturbance pop on his forehead.
"I dare you to laugh."
"I'll try my best to hold it in."
"My—!" A more euphoric voice shook her attention as she glanced at the figure beside Vil. "To think we would have a marvellous visitor at our dorm at this time of night!"
"Well good evening to you, Rook," she waved. "I was hoping that I didn't interrupt your — uh, beauty session."
"Of course not, we are welcomed to have you visit us," Rook answered swiftly as he took her by the hand and pulled her gently inside the dorm leader's room. Vil gently shut the door behind him as he glanced at the two figures now, actually, disrupting his beauty session.
With that, she resolved to go through the disasters of the world of beauty once again.