Chapter Text
The group had decided to wait for Trey to speak with him at the library, so when the boy had walked in, browsing the baking section, your gazes all hardened as you approached him. “Hello, Trey.” Deuce said in a stern tone, catching the third-year's attention. “You four!” He exclaimed in shock, turning to see Ace, Deuce and Grim’s cross expressions.
“We figured that if we waited at the library, you’d show up to return your tart cookbook eventually.” Deuce explained as Ace suddenly spoke up. “We still got a problem with the way Housewarden Riddle is handling all of this.” Placing the cookbook back into the shelf, Trey sighed. “Yeah, I thought you might say that.”
Ace continued, hands on his hips. “Come clean with us. What’s your take on Riddle? Is it true that you’ve been pandering to him since the two of you were kids?” Trey froze, his eyes widening at the boy’s declaration. “What?! Who told you that?”
“Some pervert who called himself Che’nya.” Deuce stated, glancing over to look at you knowingly.
“Che’nya… Huh. That explains it.” Trey responded, his tone far sadder than before, which piqued your interest. “What I don’t get is, aren’t you older than Riddle? Why haven’t ya told him off already?” Grim asked, bringing up a good point.
Trey hummed, giving the cat an answer. “I do when I need to. I don’t think the situation calls for it.” Furrowing his brows, Ace questioning the green-haired boy. “Why not?” Trey sighed, explaining what he meant. “These sorts of strict rules… They’re what created Riddle.” Your expression soured, immediately realizing what Trey was implying.
“Huh?” Deuce asked, a confused look on his face. “His parents were famous magic healers. Everyone where we’re from knew their names,” Trey explained. “His mom was especially talented, and she really wanted Riddle to live up to her legacy. So, from the moment Riddle woke up to when his head hit the pillow at the end of the night… Every aspect of his life was planned, down to the minute, by the education program she made from him.”
As Trey’s words set in, you felt a deep hollowness inside, sympathy seeping through for the boy. “Sounds pretty lame.” Grim said, causing you to glare at the cat. “Grim. Be more respectful. Have you no shame?” At that, the cat jumped, shivering under your gaze. “Jeez! Sorry, sorry!” Trey cleared his throat, continuing. “What he ate, what he wore, what soap he used, who his friends were- every last detail had been predetermined for him. And to please his parents, Riddle obediently completed every task they’d laid out for him. He mastered his signature spell by age ten. He’s the top student in all of the classes. I can’t even imagine how hard he must have had it.” You grimaced, feeling for the housewarden.
Ace simply narrowed his eyes, whereas you placed a hand on your chest, sharing your thoughts. “How sorrowful. In cases like his, it’s not rare for children to feel resentment towards themselves instead of their guardian, often bottling up their true feelings only for it all to burst out at others.” Trey nodded, going on. “Riddle sees the enforcement of strict rules as a service to his dorm members.
In his eyes, being bound by rigid guidelines - by fear - is a fast-track to personal growth. Because that’s how it worked for him. And on the flip side, he sees the violation of those rules as an inexcusable offense.” Ace’s eyebrows shot upward as the boy then spoke up. “I guess that makes sense, since rules made him who he is.”
Trey’s gaze hardened as he looked down. “Look, I totally get why you see Riddle as a tyrant, and why you disapprove of his methods. But for me… I can’t hold that against him, you know?” You nodded as Grim sweated. “Myah…” Deuce frowned, understanding setting in. “So that’s why he’s like that.”
Ace stood silently for a moment. “...All right, now I get it.” He paused, eyes narrowing as he approached Trey, pointing a finger to his chest. “It’s YOUR fault Riddle’s like this.” Everyone’s expressions turned to that of shock, exclaiming in unison. “What?!”
“That’s truly what you got from this, Ace? He played a part, but perhaps think of his mother’s influence instead?” You said, glaring at the boy as he went on. “Riddle didn’t get to choose his parents. But you know what his parents did to him, and you know it was wrong, right?” Trey sweatdropped, responding. “I mean, yeah…”
Ace raised his voice slightly, anger spreading across his face. “Well, now Riddle’s making the exact same mistake that his parents did. You’re going easy on him because he had it rough as a kid? Don’t you see where that’s leading? You’re letting him make a pariah out of himself!” The boy exclaimed, effectively silencing both you and Trey.
“Ace, man, come on…” Deuce muttered, attempting to calm him down. “So why don’t you say something? Are you afraid you’ll ‘lose your head’ too? That’s pathetic! You guys are supposed to be childhood friends?! Then act like it.” He shouted out, catching looks from others in the library from Ace’s sudden outburst.
Then, out of the blue, Crowley appeared, hands on his hips as he glared at your group. “You there! Be quiet! You are in a library!” The headmage yelled out, causing Grim to place his paws over his ears, wincing. “You’re yellin’ louder ‘n any of us, though!” Crowley’s eyes widened as he cleared his throat.
“Oh! Yes, my apologies. But let us strive to maintain the library as a quiet place for reading.” You querked an eyebrow, a sudden thought coming to mind. “I presume you’re researching a way home for me, headmage?” He nodded, clapping both hands together in glee. “Indeed so! Precisely as I promised I would.”
The man then went onto a full on ramble yet again. “Oh, but I AM gracious! And the library is, of course, an ideal place for serious research.” You paused, ears twitching at the mention of ideal as he continued.
“It’s not as if I came here just to secure the newest book in that popular series of novels. No, certainly not.” He muttered, then cleared his throat. “Incidentally, what are you all discussing with such grim faces?” Deuce and you shared a look, the boy eventually deciding to explain. “Well, since you asked…”
-
The headmage frowned grimly upon hearing of the situation at hand. “Ah… I believe I understand the situation. You are resistant to the idea of apologizing, but unable to devise any other method to get the housewarden to remove the collar.” Ace nodded, still a bit frustrated from earlier. “Yeah, pretty much.”
“I see. If you and the housewarden are truly unable to reconcile, you could always transfer. However, this is the dorm that the Dark Mirror chose for you based on the essence of your being. Any attempt to relocate would necessitate quite a burdensome process, as well as a new ritual.” Crowley stated, earning a huff from Ace. “A transfer, huh…? That’d make me feel like I was running away with my tail between my legs.”
Humming, Crowley pondered for a moment. “Then it sounds like you should challenge Mr. Rosehearts for leadership of the dorm.” At the suggestion, the first-year’s eyes widened, as they all exclaimed at once. “WHAAAAAT?!” Holding a finger to his mouth, the headmage shushed them.
“Lower your voices! This is a library!” He stated, causing you to narrow your eyes at Ace. “With all due respect, sir, Ace leading the dorm would surely lead it to ruin.” This caused him to pout, the ginger then responding. “Rude! Anyways, that suggestion is… insane!” Crowley crossed his arms, shaking his head. “There is nothing remotely ‘insane’ about it. After all, that’s how Mr. Rosehearts got the position.”
You perked up at his statement, further interested in Riddle’s raw power. “What exactly is the process by which housewardens are selected at Night Raven College?” Deuce inquired, getting a response from Grim. “Trey said that Riddle became housewarden within his first week as a student here.”
“There are several ways. You could be appointed by the previous housewarden, for example, or duel the current warden and win. A duel is certainly one of the simpler methods.” Crowley added on, causing Ace to speak up in confusion. “But isn’t fighting with magic against the rules?”
The headmage nodded, diving further deeper with his explanation. “In general, yes. A duel initiated through a formal procedure and conducted in the presence of the headmage is another matter entirely.” Trey furrowed his brows, pondering it. “I’m pretty sure the duel rules don’t allow for preemptively handicapping your opponent… So this could be a way to force Riddle to remove your collar without apologizing. That said…”
“The right to challenge a housewarden is bestowed upon all students when enrolling at Night Raven. So what do you say, Mr. Trappola? Will you challenge Mr. Rosehearts?” Crowley asked, causing you to frown. You knew damn well that with his inexperience, Ace had no possible chance of winning against Riddle.
However, the boy grinned widely, looking to the others with hope. “Sure, I’ll give it a shot!” Deuce nodded at his exclamation, going along with his friend with a smirk. “Then I will too.” Grim threw both paws up in excitement, shrieking loudly. “Me three!” Glancing at the cat, Crowley shook his head.
“I’m afraid not, Mr. Grim. You cannot challenge a housewarden of a dorm to which you do not belong.” Grim recoiled in shock, gesturing to his collar. “Myah?! Then how’m I supposed to get this buzzkill collar off?!” Ace let out a laugh, reassuring him. “If I became housewarden, I’ll just order Riddle to remove it! Easy-peasy!”
A smile crept onto your face at his words, for you found his bravery and kindness endearing. “How will everyone know how tough I am if you do that?” Grim asked, pouting. “Are you sure about this? I certainly didn’t expect you to throw your hat in the ring, Deuce.” Trey said, eyes slightly widened.
Deuce raised a brow at his question. “You didn’t? I think every man’s gotta make a grab for glory at least once in his lifetime. And if we’re teaming up to take him down, ya better believe I’m running the show!” He gestured to himself proudly, earning a groan from Ace. “Oh, man, here we go again.” Deuce looked at him in shock. “Huh? What’d you say?”
Crowley cleared his throat. “Then I’ll get started on the paperwork.” Turning back to the others, you fretted for your friends. “You best form a plan.” Ace nodded at your suggestion. “For sure. Anyone got any good ideas?” Deuce hummed, pondering the boy’s question. “Hard to imagine we can beat Riddle with straightforward magic. A solid left hook, on the other hand…”
“Yeah, that guy looks like a pushover!” Grim exclaimed as the headmage suddenly piped up. “Ah, did I forget to mention that detail? These duels are to be fought solely with magic.” Deuce’s eyes widened. “What?!” He yelled out, earning a laugh from Crowley. “Nothing beats a good, civilized duel! Now, the paperwork should be prepared and filed on the morrow, and the duel scheduled accordingly.”
Watching the headmage walk away, you turned back to Ace, who looked pumped up. “Aight, let’s do this! I may not be the world’s greatest mage, but… I’ll figure something out!” Deuce nodded, cheering him on. “That’s the spirit!” Grim cut in, giving his own words of encouragement, in his own way. “My head’s on the line here, so don’t mess this up!”
Trey, meanwhile, seemed shocked still by the whole ordeal. “You guys…” He muttered, only to be ignored by the boasting Ace. “When I’m housewarden, I’m gonna make Riddle fess up to bein’ wrong. I’ll make him apologize, too! And no one in the dorm is gonna have to live by any crazy rules ever again!” You sighed, somewhat displeased. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, now…”
-
Back at the Ramshackle Dorm, you were chatting with your mirror self as Grim slept beside you. Having had explained the situation, you gained some insights. “Mmm. I wish your comrades the best of luck on their quest. However, I hope you will speak out against any rash decisions made.” You nodded, your reflection’s words correlating with your own thoughts of it.
Suddenly, you heard a voice cut in from the other side of the mirror, causing your entire body to freeze. “Ah! Who’re you talking to, Yuu?~” There, peering into the mirror right at you was the face that would forever haunt you. He looked exactly like him, the same long, deep-purple colored hair, curious expression and pale complexion. The only notable difference was his heterochromia, for his left eye was a bright cyan. “Woooow! Another mirrored Yuu, ehe… This one’s so cute! Hey!--” The other you pushed him out of the way, grabbing the mirror back as you looked back at yourself.
“Hong Lu… Please behave yourself.” He sighed, glancing back at you. “My apologies. I hope he didn’t disturb you in any way, given what you told me…” Trailing off, you watched Hong Lu wrap his arms around your mirrored version, brow raising in confusion. “Hmm? What happened, Yuu? I wanna know!~” Glaring at the boy, your reflection shook his head. “Hong Lu… Don’t be disrespectful…”
You immediately shook your head, looking at them both with widened eyes. “Please, it’s alright. It’s a long story, but if you’re truly interested…?” He nodded, urging you to go on as you let out a laugh.
“Mmm, it appears both of our Hong Lu’s have quite the thirst for knowledge. Well, then… I shall indulge in your request.” You cleared your throat, ready to explain. “Well, I happened to be out on a stroll one fateful night, with none other than yourself, Hong lu. However, I was paying no attention to my surroundings, and heading right before me was what appeared to be a carriage.”
Pausing, you exhaled deeply before continuing. “My very life flashed before my eyes. In the nick of time, my dearest lover pushed me aside, taking the impact instead. You can only imagine my shock when both he and the carriage had disappeared into thin air upon opening my eyes. What’s worse was that the very next day, all of my friends… They told me they’d never heard of any Hong Lu. It was indeed disheartening. Soon after, I was transported to this strange world, where I now must face challenge among challenge.” You sighed, looking down, feeling as though you overshared to your other lover.
Just as your mirrored beloved opened his mouth, your reflection’s eyes widened, something having come to his realization. “Ah. I forgot to mention one of the aspects of the mirror. You must take precautions when summoning mirror Identities into battle, there are a few things you must note.” You nodded as he explained. “In certain cases, an Identity may use an Extermination of Geometrical Organ, or E.G.O during battle. There are two main types, however, us Sinners use E.G.O’s extracted and borrowed from Abnormalities, entities manifested from people's minds, reflecting their fears or desires.
The E.G.O’s usually take the form of massively powerful weapons or armor. The E.G.O’s are graded into five categories depending on their power; Zayin, Teth, He, Waw and Aleph, the latter being the strongest. While using an E.G.O, Sinners may end up corroding. Corrosion is when the Sinner hears the voice of the Abnormality the E.G.O came from to call out to them, as they both fuse. In this state, their skills are often stronger, but will attack at random, even potentially attack their own allies. Afterwards, the Sinner transforms into a creature resembling the Abnormality along with their loss of self.”
His explanation caused your mouth to go agape, shocked by the new knowledge. “That’s… A lot to take in. Thank you for warning me of this, but I fear I may be unable to summon anyone from the mirror in my current state. In fact, the Dark Mirror stated itself that I was magicless, so…” Your reflection hummed in response. “Fret not. This mirror’s abilities differ from your world’s magic, so I recommend you use it if ever in danger. After all, you have run into a plethora of problems as of recently, and you’ve barely been there a week…”
Nodding, you agreed with your other self. “I see… Ah, it’s getting late. I’ll speak to you later. Farewell, Yuu and… Hong Lu.” Placing the mirror down, you say goodbye to the face of your dead lover. A tear glistened down your face as you settled into bed, drifting off to sleep.
-
There, before you stood that blonde girl, seemingly in court, pointing with rage. “And as for you, Your Majesty… ‘Your Majesty,’ indeed!” She exclaimed, the Queen of Hearts coming into view, the Cheshire Cat sitting atop her head with a sly grin. “Why, you’re not a queen. You’re just a fat, pompous, bad-tempered old ty..tyrant…”
The girl trailed off as the queen smirked “Mmhmmhmmhmm… What were you saying, my dear?” The Cheshire Cat giggled, repeating the girl’s words. “Well, she simply said that you’re a fat, pompous, bad-tempered old tyrant!” You frowned, not necessarily excited by the dream.
Then, the Queen of Heart’s face contorted to a raging one, as she screamed loudly. “OOOOOOOFF with her head!” Upon the queen’s declaration, a flurry of cards appeared, surrounding the poor girl as a King of Hearts spoke up. “You heard what Her Majesty said! Off with her head!”
-
Eyes fluttering open, your palms are drenched in sweat. You frowned, brows furrowing, “How pitiful… If only she had been stopped from her tyranny and led down the correct path…” Muttering to yourself, you noticed Grim walk into your room, waving happily. “Hey, Yuu! Ah, good, you’re already up.”
Ace smirked following behind the cat. “Today’s the big duel! Let’s DO this thing.” Gulping, you nodded hesitantly. You couldn’t deny that your stomach was in knots, an odd feeling coming through that you couldn’t quite shake off.