A quiet, headstrong and protective woman. Happily married. Both her and her husband signed up for the Crown Army, no one knows why. Their reasons for joining are long forgotten. They're a couple of older recruits.
Birdie's husband used to be skilled in the battlefield but sacrificed himself to protect her from a heavy enemy attack, and in the aftermath, was decommissioned. She had no idea why he chose to take the damage when he can be resurrected but after coming out of the Rezzer mangled and barely recognizable to her, she realized why.
Dearest husband couldn't get any spare flesh or limbs due to his body's strange incompatibility, supplies are scarce, and the number of rations provided is out of the question. So, he's stuck paralyzed with gaping wounds that Birdie tried her best to nurse and hope that his condition will improve. But there's no discharge from the war.
Their situation went worse when he can't get his jaw to move or eat, so she feeds him by chewing the food and giving him mouth to mouth like a mother bird feeding a chick. That's how she got the nickname "Birdie" given by others who witnessed the rather disgusting process. Although, his body is almost incompatible with leftover organs, she gave him her right eye, some of her fingers, ear tissues, vocal cords, liver, pieces of her brain, and any other flesh she deems would help.
Once had a miscarriage. They really did wish to have a family together, but times aren't right at the moment. She sometimes think that the miscarriage was a sign. She has their wedding rings hidden someplace where no one can find them. Their vows and his existence are the only thing that keeps her going. Through sickness and in health, they promised.
• Since some parts of her brain are missing, she couldn't remember her name at times or finish sentences. Birdie struggles to process emotions. Episodes of partial body paralysis are annoying. She appreciates people who understand her situation.
• Again, she and her husband share organs. She can see what he sees and hear what he hears. They would've worked perfectly in sync in combat if poor hubby wasn't so bedridden. Probably the only guy that remembers her name and some of her... Unsettling memories.
• She has a long neck with exposed muscles and can move her head °180. Speaking requires more effort as her vocal cords are incomplete.
• Her eye dilations hints her mood. Feathers surround both her sockets, many of them started growing on her scalp.
I feel so bad for TWST's future animators bro 🥀...
HOW CAN THEY ANIMATE THE ENTIRETY OF MINAJAEL'S OUTFIT 💀? OR LITERALLY ANY FUTURE STUDENTS FULLY DRIPPED OUT?? WHILE TRYING TO BALANCE THE NRC STUDENTS' PRESENCE TOO 👁️👄👁️? We look lower than an average RSA Mob student– like how rich is this fucking school 😔...
If the RSA boys freakin Overblot (I HOPE NOT CAUSE CHAPTER 7 IS WAY TOO LONG FOR ME 😭), does this also mean that we can still have different Yuus on the bright side 😮?
As a long time fandom girlie, I’m gonna hold you hand when I say this: you’re allowed to call your OC whatever you want, regardless of if another person also has an oc with that name, it’s not a huge deal I promise! 🫶🏼
Obviously you do you, change it if you want to, but if you feel like you HAVE to, I promise you, ya don’t, that was all, take care stranger! 👋🏼
I'm sorry, it's just that it took me a long time to make a Ts Hound OC that's impressionable but simple, and giving them a name that aligns with the fandom's theme is the hardest part for me. So I thought that the same thing happens to others as well.
I'm not even sure if the devs would bring the Hound origin back.
Thank you for the advice. But I think I'll stick to Holden this time!
• He has knowledge on how to hunt and understand some concepts of magic despite not possessing any. His time in Eridia broadens that knowledge... Holden also discovered a way to survive in harsh times financially.
• He learned that the stomach acid of a Soulless can melt human flesh within a few minutes, or even seconds. However, the acid does not melt everything completely, specifically other solids. He hunted one down to study its anatomy. When he pried open its stomach, he saw tiny flecks of half-melted jewelry possibly from an unlucky individual from Hightown. So he kept hunting and hunting more, dissecting parts of Soulless organs to find anything of value...
• There are other times where he found a few bones and other remnants of the devoured. He will try his best to bury them.
• Holden saved up enough money to occupy a small decent looking house in Lowtown, but no matter how much he dislikes Leander, he still needs the man to help him with his search for a cure for his curse.
• The development of his paranoia became evident after the betrayal of his comrades, who abandoned him once they deemed him useless. That same development gave him a habit of setting up traps everywhere during a hunt and for the general security of his home... He wouldn't want Vere to go near his things after all.
• He also has a garden. He used some of the precious flecks and made a small garden where he can plant herbs and vegetables himself. He had trouble with soil being too moist sometimes. He cooks the vegetables and gives Kuras his herbs. He wants to repay his debt with Kuras even though the tall-ass man said that Holden doesn't have to. Holden heavily doubts that.
{Drafts}
• Holden's early design in late December 2024 had a blind left eye, chapped lips, small thin eyebrows, and wears a cap. Also, he was blond.
• I just trashed half of his lore drafts a month later after realizing that I was being too cruel on the poor lad.
• I kept his gender and eyebags the same. He wears a hood and a cap and now has ebony hair. I can't decide if I should keep his long eyelashes or trash it.
• I initially named him Nihil for a year but soon realized that there's already an OC in the fandom whose name is also Nihil. So I decided to change his name to Holden.
Fatal Flaw: Never learned to trust others and is willing to betray anyone he finds suspicious.
Others: His fear of mirrors (specifically his reflections) stem from how his empty eyes seemed to only reflect the void staring back at him.
• Holden grew up in a syndicate. Despite him being one of the most important members, he was physically weak. So his comrades abandoned him, leaving him with the only hope to search for a cure of his curse.
• He has knowledge on how to hunt and learned some concepts of magic despite not possessing any. His time in Eridia broadens that knowledge.
• He makes a living by hunting down Soulless to pry open their stomachs and scavenge for any valuable solids (i.e., gold, jewelry, etc.).
• He saved up just enough to occupy a small but decent house in Lowtown. However, no matter how much Holden wants to avoid Leander, he still needs the man to help him with his search for a cure for his curse.
• He's physically weak to fight Soulless head on, so he places traps to catch them instead.
Relationships:
Kuras ← Close/Dislikes
• He met Kuras at a younger age, recently abandoned by his syndicate when a Soulless attacked their caravan. The doctor nursed him back to health but he couldn't cure Holden's tendency to constantly sleep. Years later, Holden provides herbs and vegetables he grew in his garden to give them to Kuras as gifts. He doesn't want to be indebted to someone.
Leander ← Dislikes
• Kuras was the one who introduced them to each other. Leander offered him to be a member of the Adderstones but Holden refused. Leander was still kind enough to be patient with him and give him jobs. Though he rarely sees Holden.
Vere ← Dislikes
• They dislike each other from the start. Any flirtatious advances he makes toward Holden is always met with silence.
Mhin ← Dislikes
• Mhin doesn't like Holden's staring problem. They also do not like him stealing their bounties. At this point, all the Soulless Mhin hunted will be dragged by Holden into his home and pried open.
Ais ← Dislikes
He likes Holden being a menace but not when he's trying to be a shadow. Makes him feel more lonely, he says. It's funny to see Vere try to communicate with him. He hasn't seen the fox this flustered much.
• Holden spends most of his free time either sleeping or gathering supplies enough for him not needing to go outside for a long period of time. His skill for stealing and pickpocketing has gone rusty.
• He's grown a habit of placing traps as a way of marking his territory. Sometimes Mhin would run into him or one of his traps when hunting or patrolling at night. Other times it's one of Ais' unlucky pets.
• Speaking of pets, Holden is afraid of Princess. He has trapped and peeled open many Soulless before her but for some reason, she's far clever than the rest. He's scared that he'll come to like her but there might come a day where he has to kill Princess if Ais tries anything. As much as he wants to pet her, he must stay away.
• Ais can't tell if Holden's presence makes him feel more or less lonely. On one hand, he's not much to converse with and on the other hand, his lack of responses would tick the confident fox into embarassing himself, to which for Ais, is a funny sight to see. Holden would also taunt Ais from time to time to check for whatever annoys him enough to piss off, but the horned bastard could see through his little actions and taunt back to the menace.
• He does errands for Kuras. If the doctor needs a certain type of herb, Holden doesn't have to go for the trouble of obtaining them as he grew some herbs in his little garden. He also does errands for Leander, unfortunately. Leander constantly attempts to invite Holden to the Wet Wick, his invites were always turned down however.
• Kuras seems concerned for Holden as the lad barely interacts with people, almost mute, and even avoids seeing his own reflection. Any flirtatious advances whether the person is interested in him or just for fun, he'd take in as offense and walk away. Vere's sugar-coated insults would always fall on deaf ears, not even sending a glare. At this point, Kuras is sure Holden will beat Mhin in an anti-socializing contest.
• Mhin finds Holden's staring too intense and uncomfortable, empty obsidian eyes boring into them like twin black holes. His seemingly unblinking lifeless eyes reminded them of death... They appreciate his silence though.
• Vere does not see Holden as a threat but that doesn't mean that he won't show the little menace who's the bigger threat. He'll continue to poke and prod at him despite the lad not showing any reactions to his teasing. Vere becomes tired after that and decides to leave him alone, he couldn't get anything fun out if him. Maybe he could use him as a distraction to Leander to get those drinks.
• As for Leander, well, another stranger to befriend! Kuras talks highly of Holden, so surely they'll be getting along just fine. He couldn't get him to try any of his drinks and he didn't accept any of his or his followers' help, only accepting errands from the man. Don't worry, he'll reach out to him eventually. Leander finds it fun to have Holden around, he hasn't seen Vere this embarassed before! And he was impressed that he has the balls to taunt Ais in front of everyone. Leander kind of feels left out and hopes that he'll at least exchange a word or two :)
• Ever since Holden arrived in Eridia, his narcoleptic tendencies make it hard for him to focus on the plan to infiltrate the Senobium... He was awake for most of his life. Abandoned Free from the life as a member of a syndicate and no longer controlled by his superiors, he doesn't know what to do with this newfound freedom.
• But does he really need the cure for his curse now that he's free from what torments him the most? Isn't he content by just living in the completely isolated life he dreamed of, away from the cruel humans and monsters...?
• No, he'll still pursue it. Either from guilt for harming others or that nagging feeling to live a normal life as a normal human, Holden will search for the cure until the day he dies by the hand of the Senobium or their chained fox. For now, he must tolerate being around people. When it's all over, he won't have to go outside, never again.
Based on the redspring studio's post. Sorry if it's a little blurry.
Like I said, Holden is a menace. Not as hostile as Vere but not nearly tolerable as Mhin. Vere doesn't even acknowledge Holden's existence.
Contrary to how Leander describes Holden's relationship with Kuras, the doctor remains neutral about it. Just because the boy trusts him doesn't mean he trusts him, get it?
Ais is a different story, if there's even a story between them to begin with. Holden blends in too well and Ais drags too much unwanted attention so he avoids him. Barely any interactions, these two have. Leander is the epitome of an attention-seeker but at least he's worth the trouble because he compensates for it.
Mhin doesn't like how he would sometimes steal their bounties and greedily marks them as if he was the one who went through the trouble chasing them. Oh well, it's Mhin's fault for not thinking about setting up traps in the first place.
“Work smarter not harder, then sleep later.” That's what Holden thinks. Still, he keeps people on their toes whether he's asleep or not
A/N: Life update– Got some wisdom teeth growing at the back of my mouth... There are like four of them poking my cheeks and gums, it hurts like hell... Got me looking like I'm bout to replicate the Bite of '87 but instead of Freddy Fazbear, it's Balloon Boy with fucked up teeth. Anyways, Happy New Year 🎇🎆!
Warnings: Blood and gore, Mild violence, Slight language
Summary: Crowley refuses to interrogate you. You got into another accident that they wish you had avoided for the sake of their sanity.
Everything went quiet.
So quiet you could hear your own heartbeat.
Crowley had shooed everyone away to their respective dormitories. Not a single word about this incident, Lilia spoke, and they complied. They can't even put to words what happened anyways, it all unraveled so fast. Grim, who is mistaken as your familiar and caused havoc at the ceremony, was dragged by the headmage personally since no one wanted to. The monster did no attempts to resist arrest.
Now you hear only two heartbeats. You're alone with the headmage, well, if you count the Dark Mirror then it's all three of you in the room. The scowl on its face... It knows something you do not.
“Ahem!”
Crowley cleared his throat to break the silence. He asked if your physical condition is stable to which you nodded yes. He then kept asking you a series of questions– What's your real name, where you came from, and why you came to Night Raven College. It almost sounded like a normal conversation except it felt like he is forcing himself to not show interest in your magic. It is obvious that he's trying too hard not to offend you.
“You know you don't have to avoid the topic. You can ask about it.”
“Ah, y-yes. Forgive me, Yuu, was it? I am quite speechless at the moment.”
“Take your time.”
Another silence prolonged, the only sound is the tapping of the headmage's nails on his cane. He looks away in quiet contemplation, his face expressionless. It's funny how just several minutes ago he was absorbed in praising himself flamboyantly and now, he stands still absorbed in his worry. After a few minutes, he faces you again to ask you one last question...
“Would you like to go home, Yuu?”
“.... Yes.”
Looks like he can't find the courage to ask after all. With no more following questions, he gestures to the Dark Mirror, his expression still empty. You stepped in front of the mirror and wait for him to cast a spell. You can hear the breathing in his lungs began to relax its pacing; he was glad you answered yes. He starts chanting to the mirror to send you back from whence you came. In a polite way, of course.
Oh well, this was a rather entertaining encounter. Maybe if you were actually a qualified student with acceptable magic, you'd consider enrolling here. Until then, it's time for you to go home.
.
.
“Such place does not exist.”
“WHAT?!”
The squawk from the headmage's throat grates your ears, interrupting your train of thought. He cleared his throat again to hide his panic. The eyes of his mask looked back to you then back to the mirror.
“P-pardon. What do you mean "it does not exist"?”
“This Child of Flesh and Blood is not from this world. Therefore, the place where they call home does not exist.”
“N-no, no, this cannot be... that's impossible...!”
You can tell that this has never happened before. You too are quite surprised that you're in a different world and not thrown into a dungeon. Should you be glad in this moment?
After multiple failed attempts to send you back, Crowley guides you to a library where you two search for information of your 'home' but to no avail, as if it never even existed. The crow man decided not to press you for further answers, you certainly can't lie in a situation like this, right? Right?
In the meantime, he'll make adjustments to shelter you during your stay here (rightfully so since the school's carriage escorted you here by mistake). And the idea of rudely abandoning you to the streets is unjust (he didn't want to release you to the world and involve him). How generous of him.
.
.
Ramshackle is surely a befitting name of the "charming" dormitory Crowley housed you into. Truly befitting. Everything here is a hazard waiting for a victim to ambush, hazards that highlights your bloody magic. The downside is probably the risk of diseases and constantly healing injuries. With just a bit of dusting and repairing here and there, it'll be alright... Is what he said after he left to fetch your food and clothing for the night.
Once you finally spot a broom and a bucket, you began to clean. The sounds of your steady heartbeat and the drops of rain falling into the metal bucket almost soothes you. But there's a disturbance. Three of them to be exact. Ghosts. It seems 'haunted' is also part of Ramshackle's charms. They're not that bad, rather they're cute, much better to look at compared to the variety of abominations your world has.
The ghosts were quite taken aback by your compliments and the lack of fear in your eyes. They no longer pose any problems to you and even started cleaning with you. Welcomed you. The people back in your world weren't so welcoming like they are. Not long after, you hear a second heartbeat.
.
.
“Fnyagh...This stupid rain is putting out my ears...”
Ah, look what the cat dragged in, trouble. The ghosts noticed your annoyance and took it upon themselves to scare Grim off, but you stopped them. The drenched cat looked rattled, like he's not a monster himself, wait, he wasn't looking at the ghosts, he was looking at you.
“Fnyaaagh! It... it's you!... I... I th-thought you d-d-died...!”
“No, I'm very much alive.”
His ears drooped and eyes grew wide, paws nervously fidgeting with his tail, only making eye contact on the ground. Sniffles and sobs can be heard. You place your hand to pat his head and he lets you. Paws now covered his face trying to hide his tears, trying to resist looking pitiful.
“Don't cry.”
“I-I ain't crying! The Great Grim never cries! It was your scary magic, ain't it? You did this!”
“Did what?”
“M-made me... You... You bled... I thought I k-k-killed you....”
So, he is guilty but doesn't know how to show it? How cute. Now you want to keep him, poor thing stuck out in the rain thinking he's murdered someone. He's a monster yet he never burned someone to ashes before.
“It's okay, Grim. You are forgiven.”
“Who d'ya think you are... p-p-putting your hand on me and petting me like a c-cat!... Just so ya know... I'm letting you do this 'cause I almost cooked you! Y-yeah, that's right! I'm still angry at yoouuuuu...! Waaaahhhh!!!”
“There, there, calm down now.”
You're making it harder for him to hate you when the volume of your voice is lower than a gentle whisper, softly coaxing him to cry his eyes out even more. The apologetic cat's paws now clinging to your clothes like a child. It took a while for him to stop crying and fell asleep on your lap. One look at his sleeping face and you decided. He shall stay.
When Crowley returned, he was about to yell by the sight of you cradling the supposedly banned raccoon in your arms, you gave him a glare that could cut bones clean, silenced him instantly. You remembered how passionate Grim was when he tried to show everyone his magic... Hmm, maybe he has more potential of becoming a better mage than you are. You convinced Crowley to give him pardon.
.
.
You wake up early, surprised that everything that happened wasn't a dream at all. Grim was snoring soundly next to you despite the uncomfortably thin mattress both of you are lying on. You watched from the window as the sun slowly climbed over the horizon, heartbeats steady and relaxed. The peaceful atmosphere was shattered by the headmage shoving the door wide open, waking up Grim from his slumber.
“Alright! Good morning, Yuu and Grim! Rise and shine as the new handymen of Night Raven College!”
Handymen. Since Crowley couldn't enroll you because you came to the college not as a student and Grim behaved as a nuisance rather than an actual student, he gave you odd jobs to complete in order to stay here for free. He did make a statement that food and other necessities should come from your own salary. At least the library is accessible to you whenever you wish to find evidence of possible passageways back to your world.
You laughed when Grim complained but he got up quickly at the crow man's mentions of kicking him out again. Now off you go to your jobs for today!
“Oh, and before I forget! Just one more instruction...”
.
.
Crowley's cheerful expression is gone, looking at you with stern eyes and firmly placing his hand on your shoulder. His voice in a serious commanding tone which honestly caught you off guard.
“You must never under any circumstances, reveal your magic to the students or to anyone else. They are unaware that you possess forbidden magic and are still very much terrified of what occurred during the ceremony, or there might be ones who'll take advantage of it...”
“I will try to hold my powers at utmost secrecy as possible, but I can't promise if I'll be using it for emergencies.”
For what kind of emergencies? Well, let's fuck around and find out.
.
.
You and Grim's first task for the day is to clean the school entrance and statues. Students passing by glanced at you not so discreetly and whispered among themselves before quickly walking away. Either they're disturbed to see the person who was set ablaze yesterday with no burns, or they're puzzled to see an unfamiliar janitor carrying cleaning equipment with flaming cat.
“Woaaah~ Yuu, look at these statues over here! They look like they're pretty important.”
“Indeed.”
Grim seemed to have forgotten about the tears he shed last night. Oh well, it can't be helped, what good would it bring to mention it in an early morning like this? You want him to enjoy his time here even not as an official part of the academy. Grim reminded you of a curious child ready to explore, but hopefully not procrastinate. You two have chores to do.
“You don't know the Great Sevens?”
A student who was brave enough not to gawk at you and walk away like the others, casually approached you and Grim. This student, introduced as Ace Trappola, knows more about this campus than you do so maybe he'll provide useful information. You listen as he briefly introduces the seven figures.
.
.
You have to give Ace credit at how great he was at acting. One minute he was admiring the statues with Grim and the next he shoots mockery his way. And the way he was running his mouth makes you want to use his pen to poke holes along the outline of his mouth and stitching it shut with his own blood and tendons.
But you suppose that ignoring him and going back to work would be a sensible option, you've no reason to argue with him. Grim, on the other hand, did the opposite and started a fight right in the middle of the school's entrance. Although you want to witness how magic attacks work in this world, it can wait. As Grim's supervisor, you should stop them before the situation escalates. It's too early to deal with this.
And knowing you can't do anything with your magic due to Crowley's warning and the ruckus attracting the students' attention, you tried to reprimand them instead, but your voice only reached deaf ears and now it's too late...
The fight was over in a flash, and they successfully charred the Queen of Hearts' statue. Then the headmaster suddenly showed up at the wrong time. Frightened first year and monster cat throw accusations and play victim, but the headmaster was having none of it.
Funny seeing Ace's cockiness quickly change into desperation, even had the gall to point at Grim and say he isn't part of the crime. The crow man turned to you and scolded you about failing to keep an eye on Grim when you insisted to keep him under your care and teach him proper discipline. Luckily, Crowley is feeling generous today and decided to give you all a second chance and a punishment to share.
You felt indifferent towards Crowley yelling out an immediate expulsion upon the three of you, knowing well that you can't actually be expelled. However, little Grim is obviously at strike two of getting kicked out again, without him then who's going to help you out here with your Blood Magic prohibited? And since he is under your supervision, you accept the punishment with Trappola.
Washing a hundred windows is a lot better than dueling a bloodthirsty beast in an arena back in your world, so Ace and Grim shouldn't complain. At least not so much.
.
.
Thirty-six.
“Fnyagh... That dumb guy probably ditched us by now...”
“Patience, Grim.”
“Patience, my butt! Ya look like ya wanna strangle something.”
Thirty-six windows already washed and you and Grim are still waiting for Ace to arrive from his class an hour later. The flaming feline is starting to doubt that the first year will lend a hand by the time you reach halfway. You hope that he keeps his word at the end of the punishment, the headmage made it clear that avoiding the task is out of the question. Another hour has passed and still no sign of the student. You've reached a total of sixty-five windows, and your patience has run out.
Now you have two options: You could clean all the windows left, summon the headmage and tell him that Trappola did not join you on the punishment, and then have him hunt down the fool for you. OR you could hunt down the fool yourself, give a piece of your mind and feed him his own brain matter that dare give him the stupid idea to ditch. Then again there wouldn't be much brain, is there?
But you have to admit to Grim, the second option sounds much more satisfying.
“Alright. That does it. Time to find him.”
“Looks like ya threw yer patience out the windows after all that cleaning, huh?”
.
.
Is it you or are you experiencing déjà vu?
Running down hallways made you remember how Grim chased you down the moment you woke up from the coffin just yesterday, and now both of you are searching from classroom to classroom for a different rascal. How nostalgic! You wonder how you two look in the passing students' perspective, two feral janitors running around like maniacs: one ferociously screaming at the missing procrastinator and the other smiling gleefully with murder in their eyes.
Too many heartbeats. Trying to swiftly move around without bumping into people became a hindrance, so you decided to climb the walls and parkour over the stair railings for a better view on finding Ace among the crowd. Even the paintings started talking to you out of concern and thanks to them, they gave you clues on his whereabouts.
And there he is, exiting out of a classroom with his hands behind his head, not a care in the world. With the crowd of students camouflaging your figure like tall grass, you were ready to pounce on him like a fox to an unaware rabbit. But Grim shouted curses at the bastard loudly enough to alert your prey and the chase continues.
For a high schooler, Ace is faster than you expected. His speed made you use a few stunts to catch up to him, startling bystanders left and right. He soon grew desperate and shouted at another student for help. Grim shouted at said student to help you instead.
“Hey, you there! Help me!”
“H-huh? Me?”
“Don't listen to that guy! He's tryna skip cleaning duty! Do something!”
At the sight of the student's confused face, you thought of using one of your deadly moves to grab and slam Ace down but the aftermath of dealing with a hospital bill for potentially dislocated and broken bones later will prove more of a hassle. The student then summoned a cauldron that almost missed Ace's head and landed in front of him. Ace fell on his behind, angrily scolding the student.
“What the hell, man? That could've given me a concussion!”
“Sorry about that. Why are you running in the hallways anyway? Are you trying to get yourself in trouble?”
“He's already in more trouble than ya think. He's on punishment 'cause he was being an idiot and charred the Queen of Hearts' statue.”
“WHAT?!”
“Hold on, first of all, I didn't char it, you did! And second, those one hundred windows should've been scrubbed squeaky clean by now.”
“It is still your task to fulfill as well, Trappola.”
“It was you who charred the statue this morning?! Now you have to clean all those windows. You deserve that punishment.”
Honestly, it was amusing to see these boys bicker like actual regular teenagers and not like barbaric Spartans. As they argue back and forth, you hear Grim's heartbeat getting fainter. You turn to see him sneakily running away to which you assumed not back to cleaning windows.
You should've guessed he'd do that. Ace took notice of the small monster's disappearance and decided to drag the student, now introduced as Deuce Spade, to aid you on your next hunt. Poor thing got involved with the wrong people.
.
.
The chase for the tiny beast dragged on until the rest of the students are back to their next classes, the three of you have to rush.
Finally, you made it to an empty cafeteria. Ace and Deuce asked you where he is, you replied that Grim made himself comfortable hiding in the chandelier. The sound of Grim's heartbeat is different from a human's, apparently, so you were able to track him down easier than Trappola earlier. While Deuce brainstormed of a way to get Grim down, Ace just watched as you leaped on tables to find something attached to the chandelier to grab on.
Unfortunately, Deuce thought that throwing a projectile at Grim to get him down would be a better idea (which is not) and lifted Ace off the ground. No matter how much he protested, he was thrown like a ragdoll. He managed to grab onto Grim's tail, causing the cat to lose his grip on the ornament. Deuce tries to cast a spell to catch them, yet he misses again and shoots you on accident.
.
.
The two collided against the hard floor, knocking the air out of their lungs. The impact surely leaving bruises.
The old chandelier above couldn't hold much longer. It swayed until it finally snapped from all the previous weight.
Time seems to slow down, Ace's vision blurs, eyelids heavy. The last thing he sees is the chandelier moving closer towards him and Grim.
Everything went to black as he heard Deuce's panicked voice calling out to them before getting drowned out by a ringing noise.
Then he hears the loud crashing sound of shattering glass. He expected to feel the heavy weight of the object to crush them.
But it never came. Instead, the gentle weight above him feels warm and wet.
.
.
“..ce...im...”
“...Ace...! ...ake up...Grim...”
“ACE! GRIM! GET UP!”
Ace's eyes shot wide open to you shaking him awake. His head continues to throb in pain, though he only passed out for a split second. As he blinks to clear his vision, he begins to process what is happening...
His blood run cold, in contrast to the warm wet blood that bled from your chest. Your worried eyes full of concern made contact with his. Although your neck was also pierced, with your voice drowned by blood, you asked him...
“Are you alright, Ace?”
“Y-y-yes...”
“Good. Now you and Grim get up, this thing is heavier than I thought.”
You were on top of him and Grim, coughing up blood but nonetheless unshaken. Ace immediately carry an unconscious Grim in his arm and crawls away from below your bleeding torso. You released a sigh of relief, as if your lungs and rib cage aren't being stabbed by the chandelier's arms.
Thanks to you successfully shielding them just in time from the sharp impact of the giant ornament, not a single scratch is on them. You slowly stand up, careful to not let any shards of glass scatter onto the floor. And by the Great Sevens, Ace struggles to breathe at the sight...
Your whole outfit is now drenched in shades of dark and light red. Your left leg dislocated from the knee, Ace swears he could see a bone peeking from the flesh. Your arms weren't spared either, large shards of the chandelier dug into the skin. And your back had the worst of it all, two of the chandelier's arms went through your upper rib cage, where you bled the most.
Ace Trappola is in utter disbelief. It felt like it's straight out of a gruesome horror movie. He can't tell if what he's seeing is real or that he hit his head too hard from the fall. The shattered chandelier is right behind you; its broken arms connected to your spine. The more blood he sees, the more fear seeps within.
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“Can you stand up?”
“How... How can YOU stand up? Am-am I..? I don't even know if I'm seeing things right... BUT ONE THING I DO KNOW IS THAT YOU SHOULD'NT BE STANDING! I SHOULD BE THE ONE ASKING IF YOU'RE ALRIGHT BECAUSE HOW ARE YOU NOT DEAD?!”
“How nice of you to worry about me, it'll heal-”
“HEAL!? DO YOU EVEN HEAR THE WORDS COMING FROM YOUR MOUTH!? ACTUALLY, DON'T SPEAK ANYMORE! JUST-JUST LIE DOWN AND KEEP BREATHING OR SOMETHING...! I-I'LL GO GET HELP!”
“Wait. Check if Grim's breathing.”
“WORRY ABOUT HIM LATER, YOU SHOULD BE MORE WORRIED ABOUT STOPPING YOUR BLEEDING! DON'T MOVE!”
“Calm down, you just fell. Your head might be aching.”
“WELL, I WISH THAT THIS SITUATION IS ALL IN MY HEAD, OKAY?! Y-YOU CAN'T BE NONCHALANT ABOUT ANY OF... THIS! SEVENS, WHERE'S JUICE!?”
You tried your best to calm Ace down, but it only made him more disturbed. Why are you standing there relaxed when there's fucking punctures wounds in your body like it's a normal occurrence? He instantly gets up to look for a teacher, albeit his body looks sluggishly limp and starting to feel that stinging bruise on his shoulder.
Kind of endearing of him to ignore his current state to get you some help. He isn't that bad of a person after all. Perhaps this type of injury rarely happens in this world. In your world, this is just a flesh wound that simple healing magic can fix good as new.
Now you must check on your poor furball companion's condition. Placing your ear on Grim's chest, you listen for a heartbeat and check on his limbs in case any of them were cut. Thankfully, he's alright and breathing. His head has a little bruise but still alright. These two must truly be hard-headed.
That was a close one. You don't know what you'll do if he dies... At least the two idiots are safe and sound. Crowley will surely bury you alive if you let any of Night Raven's students get hurt. Though, you suppose he can't be too mad, you've given him a warning that you'll be using your magic for emergencies like this.
“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!”
Ah, speaking of Crowley... You can hear a pair of frantic footsteps entering the cafeteria. A scared Deuce ran to Ace's side, asking if he's injured anywhere and an enraged Crowley following behind. Spade called either the right person since Crowley knows about your magic, or the wrong one because now you regret not acting unconscious after the fall, so you'll have to explain everything yourself to the newly traumatized duo. How troublesome, indeed.
Likes: The Elderly Hermit, Traveling, His home, Princess, Kuras, Ais
Dislikes: Leaving the Elderly Hermit, Bloodstains, Mhin, Vere
Fatal Flaw: Never wants to part ways with a loved one even in death.
Others: He doesn't like to stain his clothes with blood or dirt as he finds it a hassle to remove. Especially if his furniture or the Elderly Hermit's belongings are involved.
• He was exiled far from civilization for as long as he can remember in his childhood. An Elderly Hermit found young Nyroc one winter starving in the cold and took him under his wing.
• The Hermit treated Nyroc rudely and was very distant but years later became close to him and then adopted him. The Hermit taught him how to survive, speak various languages and deciphering Soulless behaviors. Throughout the years of being raised by the Hermit, Nyroc gained the uncanny intuition to detect danger.
• He used to travel to different places with the Elderly Hermit to trade items or to collect bounties. Eridia is the last city Nyroc and the Hermit journeyed together before his untimely death. He built a house in Lowtown to stay there but he works outside the city.
• After the Hermit died, he refused to let the old man go as he was the closest Nyroc had to a family. Even when the maggots started consuming the rotting corpse, he still has him sat down on his favorite rocking chair and wearing his favorite coat in a basement.
• With every fiber of his being, Nyroc does want to die alongside his dearly departed one but he couldn't let the old man's efforts go to waste. The Hermit made it his life's mission to find a cure for Nyroc's curse. So in honor of his wish, he will search for the cure and live out his life.
Relationships:
Kuras → Close/Likes
• Nyroc has met Kuras in his younger years after journeying to the city with the Hermit to find a cure for his curse. The doctor did his best to nurse the old man before his passing. The lad knows this and feels indebted to him despite Kuras' insistence for no payment. Now Nyroc helps him with the clinic from time to time, gifting him items or herbs he brought from his travels. Kuras finds it hard to believe that this was the same child who constantly fell sick to Eridia's cold climate but nonetheless grateful for his gifts.
Vere → Likes/Dislikes
• Nyroc used to like Vere because of his beauty and cruel sense of humor but that no longer seems to be the case. Vere disliked Nyroc's lack of passion in bed and called him impotent to which the other man finds insulting to this day. They never did it again after that night. He prefers to keep meetings with the fox man to a minimum.
Ais → Dislikes/Likes
• He once thought of Ais as competition for Vere but decided to leave him and the fox alone after he realized he couldn't keep up with Vere. The first time Nyroc met the demon renegade, was at Kuras' clinic cleaning up after a patient. He met him a second time after greeting Princess at the Wasteland. They share banter and jokes whenever they meet. They would also exchange fists sometimes.
Mhin → Dislikes
• Nyroc honestly couldn't tell why Kuras saved them. He finds Mhin insufferable to deal with and if there's an exit in the room he'd leave first. Nyroc already finds it hard enough to maintain a connection with Kuras so he doesn't understand why Mhin need the doctor if they have enough medical and ancient knowledge to manage on their own and tend to their injuries. Mhin, in turn, hates Nyroc back just for his relationship with Ais. The only good thing that's tolerable for each other is the silence.
Leander → Dislikes
• He seems suspicious of the man in dark green when Kuras introduced them to each other. Leander gave him the impression of a kind and generous leader with an obvious ulterior motive that exceeds a person's expectations. When he first knew that Nyroc is a traveler who's close to Kuras, he wasted no time to invite him for a beer. Attempts to make Nyroc cozy up to him were as clear as the diluted drinks at the Wet Wick. But Leander gave errands and commissions so he'll at least take up on his offer. Just not for a drink. And hopefully not to be part of the Adderstones.
Bonus!
Holden → Likes/Close
• There was hostility when Nyroc first met him in the Wasteland. Holden just happened to hunt too near and captured the same target Soulless, and it wasn't even fair that he placed traps on his territory. Unfortunately, Holden always runs away before there would be confrontations. Over time, he soon realized the similarities Holden has with his Hermit and got attached (much to Holden's dismay). Nyroc now lets him off and take some of his bounties every time they meet (much to Holden's delight).
• I combined Bear trap and Venus flytrap as concept designs for him.
• I thought of a name. I shall name him Orson as a relation to his Jinki's bear trap concept. Still brainstorming a suitable last name.
• He's in Team Danger.
• I renamed his Jinki from Maw to Mawler as a combination of Maw and Mauler.
• His gas mask is supposed to look like a fly as a relation to his Jinki's flytrap concept.
• I'm still thinking of his clothing design. He wears the Cleaners' logo on his shoulder.
Vital Instrument: Bear Trap – Mawler
(these are old sketches of Maw Mawler)
• I actually designed Mawler from the Venus Flytrap plant. The trap (teeth) attack the target, the chains (vines) strangle or feel the presence of potential threats, and of course, protects/doesn't attack it's user (pollinator).
• Took inspiration from Diomedes' horn from Bayonetta. The Chomper from Plants vs Zombies was my favorite plant. Sprinkle in Screaming Death from How To Train Your Dragon. And Denji from Chainsaw Man. Maybe a little Daki from Demon Slayer. Thinking of Scorpion's "GET OVER HERE" move in Mortal Kombat.
• Mawler digs underground using its sharp horns and its teeth can chew or break through boulders. Chains strong enough to wrap around buildings and crush them together in quick succession.
• Ambushes targets and captures them instantly or it can be set as a trap. Grappling and pulling the target closer is also one of its uses.
• The chains extend depending how large the territory it occupies and its size changes depending on how large/heavy the target is. Also multiplies in number depending how many present targets it feels in the arena.
• Mawler, if set as a trap, can be triggered on its own, only detecting the target's weight. It can't tell which target is an trash beast or a person so anyone could be a victim. It hides in the ground/walls to camouflage with other rocks.
• There were accidents where Cleaners and Supporters ran into the traps by mistake, resulting in severe injuries due to the instrument nearly decapitating them.
• Mawler, when in combat, chases after the target in rapid speed. Any projectiles against it were pierced or charged through using its horns and teeth. Once they capture the target, they either bring them back or kill physically disable them.
Dorm Leaders with Chantel DuBois reader from Madagascar (Pt. 1)
... Something is wrong with me I swear this shit was so random...
Warning: Animal Abuse, Physical Assault, Stalking
Summary: You do disturbing and creepy stuff, they heavily judge, you cause havoc, and then they dislike you more than ever.
Chantel DuBois is an antagonist from Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted. She's an animal control officer from Monaco who hunts down Alex and the others so that she can have their heads as trophies. She is a determined madwoman known for her cruelty towards animals.
Most of these are in the characters' POV. Rook suddenly appeared here but I guess he's a guest.
Leona Kingscholar
Leona first met you during the Dorm Orientation. He knew that you were definitely someone who makes enemies as easy as you breathe. How else would explain your tape-covered mouth and ropes that tied your limbs tightly after you came out of the coffin?
You were first sorted into Savanaclaw and that's when his impression of you went from bad to worse. From the moment you stepped foot into the dorm, the pupils in your eyes dilated in excitement and malice. Almost the same eyes of a certain French hunter has. The difference is that his eyes were sharp and calculating with glee.
“Ugh... Not another one.”
As if the local Pomefiore stalker isn't enough, the Dark Mirror decides to send Leona a new bothersome herbivore. However, your scent is a bit different from the blonde bastard... You reek of dead animals... . He'll make sure to have a talk with you later, for now, he's tired from attending the Ceremony so a nap should suffice as reward.
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“WAAAHHHHH!!!!”
Screams from several Savanaclaw students erupted from the room below him, waking up Leona from his short slumber. At first he tried ignoring them but seconds later the voices increased in number and loudness. Becoming more irritated than before, he walked downstairs to see what the commotion is and there you are... Your hand holding a frightened beastman's tail and the other holding scissors.
“H-Housewarden Leona...! They suddenly attacked me!”
“Me too! They attacked me with the same pair of scissors!”
“You should kick their ass outta here, Housewarden!”
“Yeah! It's only right! Look what they did to us!”
The victims of your questionable actions hid behind Leona like cowering cubs. Bruises and cuts littered the calloused skins of the students. You are smaller compared to their mass of muscles but you somehow manhandled each one of them effortlessly and if Leona didn't enter the scene, you'd most likely attempt to skin them alive.
First day of the school year and you're already causing trouble for your dormmates. He's impressed by your strength to assert dominance over potential enemies but he doesn't find your disrespectful attitude against him any appealing. Even calling him a "Poor Upset Kitten" is taking a toll on his patience. You're asking for a death wish.
A growl from him only earns a wider smile on your bloodthirsty lips. He doesn't want to take any chances dealing with a creepy weirdo. So in the end, he gives you punishment and a warning to never disrespect him again or be prepared for further consequences.
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So Leona was right. You are a Rook-type.
“GAAAAAHHH NO NO NO NOT AGAIN!!!”
The more concerning type. At least Rook knows about boundaries (in an observing from a distance unless interacted way). But you? You don't even give a damn if he threatens you to stop taking measurements of everyone's limbs in their sleep, smelling their deodorants, and possibly taking blood samples (and yes, Rook told him you do that).
Hard to believe that it's only been two months since your arrival. Two months of feeling your intense glares from afar. Out of all the beastmen on campus, Leona was targeted the most. He has no idea why. Why don't you gawk at the horned bastard? He's more interesting to look at.
“WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?! STOP THAT!”
Sounds like Jack is involved now. The freshman tried to stand up against you. He wrestled you a few times but almost landed a trip to the hospital thanks to your hands' iron grip. He swears that one day he'll beat you without using his wolf form. Leona thinks it's the anesthesia talking. Jack's impressed by how quickly you adapt to both magic and sports. If only you use that asset for something useful like Spelldrive.
Ruggie, on the other hand, has been bugging him to send you to either hell or to a different dorm because he can't stand your presence any longer. You are by far the most animalistic human Ruggie's ever encountered and regretted that he encountered you first. Stole one donut at the price of always waking up to you gazing lasers into his soul every night. He used his Signature Spell on you, yet proven futile as it was effective for a short while.
Now that the poor tired hyena can't have enough sleep and energy to do any of Leona's errands, the older man will have to take matters into his own hands. But before he could get up from his bed, Ruggie, with bags under his eyes, sluggishly entered his room to tell him about a meeting with Headmage Crowley that he has to attend. Leona groaned, he'll definitely bring up the issue about you later. The young Kingscholar really did try to ignore and avoid you like Rook but this time you've gone too far.
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For once, the headmage actually did something right, or so in Leona's favor. You are being transferred to Octavinelle. Apparently, Crowley finally listened to the students' feedback and realized that most of them are complaints about you harassing Savanaclaw students, specifically the beastmen. And since Crowley is a benevolent and understanding headmaster (his words, not mine), he will resolve this problem by separating you from the beastmen.
Leona secretly smirked, he almost felt sorry for the scheming octopus but his problems are not his to deal with anymore.
It's cute that he thinks keeping you away will grant him peace 😊.
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Azul Ashengrotto
“Good afternoon, Kingscholar--”
“No.”
“PLEASE TAKE THEM BACK--”
“No, Azul. I'm not taking them back.”
Literally a week later, Azul wants to return you back to Savanaclaw and even bribed Leona many times but he stood strong with his answer. They're your problem now, he said.
Ashengrotto obviously volunteered to house you under his dormitory knowing that you'll be kicked out and of course, he won't let all the precious information you have on every single Savanaclaw beastmen go to waste. He's seen you fight beastmen barehanded and without the use of magic. With your knowledge and martial arts expertise, the octopus merman is determined to get you under his contracts.
It wouldn't be easy to corner you considering your proclivity with violence and the twins' hostility toward you so he'll make sure to layer the plan properly. You're still a human after all, it won't be that hard. At least that's what he initially thought...
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“Azul, they're fighting again.”
“Can't you just tell Floyd to quit it?”
“I'm afraid I cannot.”
“I swear you started this fight.”
Jade grinned and Azul sighed. Jade could've used his magic to stun you or convince his brother to use his but Azul guesses this is far more entertaining for the older Leech to watch. Floyd gets a rough housing and Jade gets a show where you get beaten up. The bespectacled man may have underestimated how big the Tweels' grudge against you.
To say that he doesn't want Floyd to punch you in the face is not entirely true. You started harassing merfolk students now. He thought that you only had interest in beastmen due to lack of complaints from merfolk. He learned that you choose your victims based on convenience. Is this what the Dark Mirror sees in you? There has to be more than just this, right?
You're a lot creepier than Rook Hunt. Rook knows what personal space means. You don't.
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Speaking of personal space, the brothers have met you while you were absorbed spying on the unfortunate lion beastman (you were a Savanaclaw student). You sometimes observe other prey but you find Leona more interesting since there was no other lion beastman on campus for some reason so he must be rare.
“Heeey~ what are ya doin' hiding up there?”
“Oya, what's this?”
Jade and Floyd caught you hiding in a tree. Floyd approached you and showed you his toothy smile. One look at the sharp teeth and your hands were grabbing his face, stretching his jaw to see more of his pearly whites. Leona saw this opportunity to find a different place to sleep.
Surprisingly, Floyd was in a good mood, he found you interesting and decided to let you do whatever. Called you Little Shrimp as a nickname. Jade was taken aback by your bold action but nonetheless found you amusing... but not for long though.
Jade had grown tired of you bragging on about your recent hunts and the previous ones before that, and the others before that, it just goes on and on as if hunting is the only thing going on in your head. Sevens, even the Pomefiore hunter has hobbies besides hunting. There was a conversation with you that led to the subject slaughtering eels and Jade took that as offense. He countered your subject with another about fungi that can grow in the mold of corpses. You took that as offense. Threats going back and forth.
Floyd dislikes that you have the same tendencies as Hunt. Always invading personal space, always saying things that pisses him off. This often leads you two to physical fights that end if Floyd is either bored, disgusted, or there's no point in engaging. He also dislikes that you'd pick up his knocked out teeth, pulled strands of his hair, or any of his remains after fighting and then lick it which grosses him out. He'd complain to Jade and Azul about you, it intrigued Azul and earned a mocking grin from his twin. Your nickname changed to Scorpion fish.
So during examinations come near, Azul found that this was the perfect chance to recruit you under contract. He was baffled by the Tweels' insistence to not interact with you. However, he's still adamant to have your skills and waits until the opportunity comes. Azul wrote down the twins' aversion of you for "future purposes".
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On a nice day and everyone was minding their own business, you suddenly smashed the hallways' glass because you saw an unfamiliar fish and had the urge to see it dead. Students in the area almost drowned, the hallways and lounge flooded. Azul was beyond furious and ordered the twins to capture you. It took Jade, Floyd and Azul great effort and magic to bind you but they were heavily injured and completely exhausted.
Series of complicated events have unfolded after you joined Octavinelle, most of them regarding property damage plus physical trauma. Ashengrotto can't even press charges against you else he would increase the risk of getting stalked along with the Leech brothers. He already caught your eye so he can't have you messing with his businesses in future.
He will make Crowley pay for the damages instead, the old crow is solely responsible for your stay here as you can get rid of Overblot monsters for him and he's the one at fault for summoning you in NRC without your permission in the first place, he thinks that's why you're not expelled yet.
Maybe he can sell you information on a certain lion beastman instead to fend you off? Maybe he'll take your friends hostage? No, you'd probably cause more problems for him... Fine then, keep your talents, he doesn't want them anymore.
For now, he'll just watch as you pursue Leona. Perhaps he can find something to be used as blackmail. He desperately needs a discussion with the headmage regarding your orientation in dorms.
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Riddle Rosehearts
Heartslabyul became the third dorm you transferred to. Riddle has heard of the reputation you made yourself and thought of you as a disgraceful and undisciplined student who acts like a feral beast, unfitting for an academy of excellence. Very well, if both Kingscholar and Ashengrotto have failed to teach you manners as Dorm Leaders, then he shall take it upon himself to not only do that but to create a set of punishments for your unruly behavior.
“The horrid attitude they showed to everyone, especially to their upperclassmen is unacceptable! Causing a scene during a ceremony... they broke too many rules!”
“There, there, Riddle, calm down. They're just a first year.”
“Let's don't lose your head worrying-- I mean, they just moved here so they don't know the rules.”
“IT'S THEIR HEAD THEY'LL BE LOSING ONCE I SENTENCE THEM!”
Trey and Cater guessed the red haired tyrant has been waiting a long time for this moment since the Dorm Orientation where he scolded you for ignoring him. You're lucky Crowley was in the room else he'd cut your head early in the school year. Said punishments are just tasks like cleaning and essay writing.
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“Hey, Yuu! I'm in a liiittle pinch here and need a liiittle favor from you but don't worry, you'll like it.”
“What is it now, Ace?”
“Well, it's uhh...”
“It was his turn to feed the hedgehogs and they vanished.”
“Deuce, I was gonna tell them!”
“You're taking too long beating around the bush, Riddle will behead us! Just admit that you actually lost them!”
“I didn't lose them, I looked away for like a couple of minutes and they're gone! But yeah... Could you find them for us? Just track them down.”
“Hedgehogs? Pretty basic but I accept.”
“DON'T HURT THEM!”
“.... I can't promise that.”
Ace and Deuce would ask you favors like these to track down missing Heartslabyul animals. Last time a Savanaclaw student snuck in and almost stole the birds' eggs (you were an Octavinelle student). Fortunately, you witnessed it and proceeded to lob that guy across the Rose Maze. Riddle reluctantly thanked you for that though he still can't trust you with animals. He wonders how Leona tolerates such violence.
At least you pay attention to your academics. Times where you act like a normal person only shows when Crewel was in sight. Why haven't the teachers done anything? That's what he wants to know as well. He imagined that it would be useless to scold you countless times so they don't bother at all. But Riddle insist that he's different from them. He's not giving up on disciplining you no matter what.
He doesn't know if it's Trappola's and Spade's influence, but you sort of... Behaved less animalistic when you're around them? Perhaps there are situations that triggered intuition rather than instinct among the presences of idiots like them. Or that you have the sadistic advantage of bossing people. Or they won't leave you alone at all.
Both freshmen admit they find your eccentric and animal-obsessive personality off putting, yet that didn't stop them from forming a weird bond with you. Almost no one in the campus, sevens, even your own home, can truly understand you whether they want to or not. Guess this odd quirk comes with being a hunter like Rook?
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Speaking of Rook, Riddle spot the man hiding. From you. Analyzing you from a distance. Odd seeing a hunter being hunted. Especially if you're the one sniffing for traces of the man's faint perfume (gifted by the Vil Schoenheit of course), head on the ground and crawling on all fours at that. He remembers you doing the same thing during Trein's lectures, you don't bother with the man as you were occupied in a staredown with Lucius. Absolutely revolting.
“Hunt? What are you doing hiding here so late in the afternoon? In Heartslabyul of all places.”
“Bonjour, Roi de Roses! What a delight to see your red hair reflecting the remaining light of dusk! C'est magnifique! To answer your question, I found something that Diable Renfrogné seem to have lost.”
“Lipstick? I thought someone from Pomefiore would likely own this. However, if it's one of my students, I'll give them a lesson to never forget their belongings next time. I expect better from them. Whose is it?”
“Yuu. I heard they're under your supervision after transferring from Octavinelle, oui? Could you please return this for me? I cannot do so myself for I fear there might be a confrontation. Merci et au revoir, Roi de Roses!”
The Frenchman gently placed the lipstick in the young Rosehearts' hand before disappearing into the bushes of the maze in a theatrical manner. The little tyrant stood there shocked. Rook Hunt, the bold stalker of non-humans, one of the most mysterious people in NRC and loyal to the house of poisons... Is afraid of you?
Riddle jumped when you appeared out of nowhere and grabbed the object from his hand, taking a whiff of the scent still lingering on it. You drowned out the short boy's scolding.
You know this smell... It's the smell of another hunter! So he wants to play games with you? Game recognizes game.
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A few days later, you somehow already violated a total amount of fifty rules. Everyone is constantly walking on eggshells with a seething Rosehearts but at the same time, were glad they got left out of the punishments because most of it was directed to you. You find them a hassle, nevertheless, completed them, only to break more and more rules. Times where a task was too difficult, you'd trick students into doing the task for you. Ace's rudeness pales in comparison to yours and he was collared LESS.
Of course, you adapted to even the strictest of dorms as a hunter should. You survived Savanaclaw and Octavinelle after all, can they survive you? The Queen of Hearts has 810 rules? You planned 801 excuses and 108 routes to avoid breaking or bending each one of them. Riddle soon realized that even if he were to collar you throughout the entire school year, you'd still break rules in Heartslabyul or break out fights on campus. Something tells him that you've committed crimes and have been in prison before.
Trey is silently praying for the good of everyone in the dorm that you need to start listening and give respect to your seniors. He may be Riddle's friend and vice dorm leader of Heartslabyul, but you keep on testing your luck to the point where Unbirthday Parties had to be rescheduled because you keep following his beastmen dormmates. All those freshly baked cakes and treats he made with care and effort, wasted. Just thinking about it makes his shoulders ache and a headache blooming in his forehead.
From what Cater heard of your reputation, he tried not to judge, he really did, but the way people and even the staff described you was concerning. He avoids crossing paths with you as much as possible, yet it's hard to when his dorm leader would order him to capture you. If he does cross paths with you, he'll distract you by making you paint the roses or have you look the other way when he mentions something about animals. He just hopes you won't be able to see through him. Silently thanks you for directing Riddle's anger somewhere else though.
Three months of yelling and shouting until Riddle's voice has gone coarse. A whole day of silence caught the Heartslabyul residents off guard, who expected their angry dorm leader's booming voice to grate their ears from rooms away for broken rules. The boy lays in his bed, exhausted from all your shenanigans. That's it, he's had enough, he's giving up. He announces to the entire dorm that you are no longer a Heartslabyul student.
Some cheered while others muttered under their breath that Riddle's focus will return on them instead of you. Ace and Deuce were bitter but then again, your behavior is a pain in the neck. They felt bad for Trey, who looks like he'll be next to be bedridden, so they think the decision to kick you out is fair. It's no big deal to you, it just means you won't be seeing the Heartslabyul hedgehogs and flamingos much.
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Once Riddle recovered from his fatigue, he immediately attends the meeting with the other dorm leaders and the headmaster. He insists that you should be expelled from the academy after failing three houses in a row, reminding everyone that it's been five months and a half, not even a full school year, since you arrived. It's surprising that the short-tempered redhead could hold out this long, exceeding Azul's tolerance and Leona's ignorance levels too at that.
Leona laughs at the new grey hair strands sprouting on Riddle's hair that frames the heavy eyebags on his face. He wants to retort but his weakened voice rendered him unable to do so. Azul slightly shivered at the mention of you, getting flashbacks of all Mostro Lounge's broken furniture.
“I'm surprised you three couldn't handle one measly potato.”
“There's a difference between Rook Hunt and an absolute menace to society, Schoenheit.”
Vil rolled his eyes at Riddle's poor correction. He sounds like a smoking caterpillar. Idia's snickering can be heard through a floating tablet in the room. Malleus Draconia isn't present as always.
“Woah! Riddle actually sounds older than he looks now! But seriously though, I hope you heal your vocal chords soon. Want to go to Scarabia later? I'm sure Jamil can make a soup for you. Or we can bring it to you while you rest.”
“Thank you for your concern, Kalim, but I must decline.”
At least there's a person that shows empathy for him. A little while later, the doors open dramatically to reveal Dire Crowley walking in as if he didn't keep them waiting for almost half an hour.
“Thank you all for your presence this meeting, housewardens. I hear all your complaints, some of them sound exaggerated. But as a kind and compassionate headmaster, my decision is final... They are staying.”
“WHAT?!”
Kingscholar, Ashengrotto and Rosehearts all shouted in unison. They turned to Crowley to make their argument and great dissatisfaction known while the rest of the dorm leaders pay it no mind, oblivious to how bold and disturbing you can be. Having heard rumors of your stalking circulated but they brushed it off and just thought of you as a knock-off Rook Hunt. Hard to empathize with people when they're not your victims and are in a school full of scumbags.
“... You can't be serious... We don't want another French maniac running around campus.”
“Haven't the damage they've done already enough?!”
“Headmaster, please have some consideration for us! For the entire student body!”
“At this point, you don't need to turn them in to the police, just expel them! Anything! Just get them far away from here!”
“Hey, why not transfer them to RSA?”
“NO, KALIM!”
If they transfer you to RSA, they'll send them bigger complaints about your actions and might make the matter worse by involving the media. You'll end up dragging them down with you. Dire did attempts to send you back home but no avail. And then there's the issue of Overblot monsters... Literally anyone with magic can get rid of them but with your experience at combat, you always end them faster.
“... As much as it pains me to say, they must stay here... This meeting ends now and all of you are dismissed.”
.
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In the end, you did end up getting kicked out of Heartslabyul but the headmage made adjustments and sheltered you. You're sure the dorm is throwing three months worth of Unbirthday Parties in one.
Although Ramshackle had waaay too much "charm" to the point where it looks uninhabitable, you shrugged it off, you've been in a dirty jail cell before, you can clean the mess up. And apparently, the dorm comes with ghosts and rodents that you can hunt so you can't complain. A certain cat on fire snuck into the dilapidated dorm to escape from the rain, that's how you two met.
Soon the ghosts went away and the rats left, all you have now is Grim, always by your side. To be honest, you don't know why you lack any bloodlust towards Grim like any other beasts... Perhaps it's because he's a monster? He's just there. For you. And you have a feeling that you'll be doing shenanigans with him and the ADeuce for a while.
It's far more amusing here in Twisted Wonderland than in your world. Forget your previous trophies, there are countless prey for you to mount their heads on your wall. It's seems you also have competition...
Oh mon Dieu, would you look at the time! Time to stalk Leona again 😊!
