Chapter Text
-Cafetiria-
Tomorrow was the start of a new semester, and yet all that happened in Karou's mind were the events back at Scarabia, and the kiss she shared with Lilia without a potion in his mouth. She wondered how many more overblots can she handle? How many more pasts does she need to look into in order to truly understand the villain? How many more weird dreams would she encounter? When was she ever going home? And finally, what would her family think if they saw her in this form? She didn't even know if that headband would come off at some point. "Yo! Yuu! Yuuu!!!" Ace snapped her back into reality as he sighed, "Has your dementia kicked in?"
"Will you stop aging me so fast? You know I'm in my twenties."
"Sure granny. YOU'RE STILL AN UGLY OLD HAG!"
"YOU BRATTY LITTLE SHIT!"
Deuce and Jack bonked Karou and Ace's heads, "Guys! Can you stop fighting?" Deuce scolded, Jack added to their relationship, "He's right, Ace I thought you'd mature up than this." Karou turned her direction to Jack, "THANK YOU!" Jack also continued, "Besides, big sis isn't even that old! Yet you constantly bully her just for being older than us." Ace huffed, "Well why's is she hanging out with us then?" Karou grew annoyed, "Someone need's to watch your ignorant ass."
"So they choose the granny."
"Any way knowing Ace will never change, how has your holiday been. Jack you said you were skiing right? How'd you get so tan as Ace said." Jack still looked at himself, "I'm not that tan."
Deuce told her, "Despite me and Ace coming down to rescue you and Grim, I had a good holiday." Ace only fiddled with the food on his fork, "All I did was play video games before you." Karou gave him a mischievies look with Grim, "Are you sure you didn't think about a certain someone?" Grim added, "A certain..queen perhaps?" Ace didn't know what they meant till he remembered growing flustered, "HUH?! WHOA WHO WHOA WHOA! HEY DID YOU FORGET IM STILL THE ONE WHO PUNCHED HIM?!
Deuce added along the teasing, "Yea but from what I heard you two are getting closer."
"SAYS THE GUY WHO FELL FOR A SHORTY FOR FIVE SECONDS!"
Jack crossed his arms with a huff, "This is why I don't focus on love." The group only grew annoyed and all said, "Then who gave you the flower?" But of course Deuce changed the subject, "Anyways, ever since Riddle got back, he's been locked in his bedroom. Not even Trey can reach him." Grim made his own conclusion, "Maybe he's being a goody two shoes and studying." Ace did recall Riddle returning only to hide from everyone. He decided to go check on him, he got up from his seat, "Uh...I'm....gonna go look at the classrooms. AND DON'T FOLLOW ME!" He ran off, Deuce and Karou knew the truth. "Are you gonna follow Deuce?" Jack asked and he told him, "I might." As he got up,
*WHAM*
Deuce fell back and so did a certain boiy with lilac hair.
"OW! WATCH WHERE YOUR-/WACH WE'R YER-"
The two froze up. An awkward silence between them, "It's you..." Deuce knew who he was, Epel of Pomefiore. Epel gulped and backed away. Deuce worried he did something wrong, "Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't see you. Hey, don't be afraid..."
"I-its..it's not you.." Epel's voice squeaked, not an accent in sight, "I...I have to go!" He scrambled up and ran off. Jack only sighed, "Yea he will do that. One minute Epel will snap in a weird accent, the next he tries speaking in this weird cutsey voice." Deuce took that in mind, all his plans to follow his friend were scrapped, he decided to go after Epel to try and talk to him. "And he's gone..." Grim said, "The last time he tried to speak to him was during the spell drive investigations." She nodded, "I think you told me that. Anyways Jack, who gave you the flower?"
"...."
"C'mon, you can tell me. I'm your sister figure."
".....Orion."
"Hm?"
"ORION!...A-a friend of mine introduced me to him....." His cheeks dusted pink, her interest had peaked. "Oh?" Now she gave him that mischievous look, "And who's Orion, Hmmmmm?"
"Uh...I uh....OH LOOK AT THE TIME I NEED TO GO!" Jack sprinted away, Grim and Karou only watched, "There he goes. This is why I the great powerful don't have a love. I only focus on magic and tuna!" Karou giggled and gave his head a pet, "Sure boss."
"Huh? Hey! quit pettin me like I'm a cat!"
"I'm not allowed to pet my son?" She teased only making Grim pout. "Anyways wait here, I'm gettin more food!" Grim hopped off to run up to the chef ghosts. Karou wanted to to keep her focus on what had happened these few months, and yet...that kiss she gave Lilia came back, 'Love huh?' Karou never trusted herself to go back into a relationship after Shina. Worried she would snap again, but SHina was being a bit nosy when it came to hiding. But at the same time, she kept telling her, 'Maybe next time' or 'I'm busy.' But Lilia was different, was it cause he knew her secret? Or that he only called her pretty out of feeling bad and never meant it? But if it were Shina how would she react? All her thoughts scrambled when something peaked through the cafeteria door, a cat tail. Her eyes looked on the swaying plant, something in her body twitched. Like with the unbirthday party and the dorm mouse incident, her tail swayed fast, ears twitching up and down. "No...Kaoru...control it!" She told herself. Yet the plant swayed up and down from her distance. yet something inside her grew........she needed....no....she wanted........
.................TOO ONCE AGAIN POUNCE!!!!
"...DAMN IT!" She got up and got in a cat like stance, wiggling her rear like a cat ready to strike as she chased after the cat tail.
-Hallway-
Karou kept chasing and pouncing just to catch the tail. Passing by many students just hanging out, "Geeze! What is she doing?!"
"I don't know but she looks kinda bonkers!"
-Mirror Chamber-
Karou kept following the cat tail till she pounced into the mirror labeled, 'Pomefiore.'
-Pomefiore Dorm-
Her gaze was still locked as the cat tail kept getting away, she didn't even know why it moved so quick on it's own. Whatever the reason she needed to catch it.
-Ballroom-
After the door opened, Karou pounced her way in, landing on the hard floor. "Here I thought you were an adult, yet you still act so childish no matter the state." A voice said from above her, she looked up, what appeared to be a beautiful woman, no, a man? What were they? But that was enough to make Karou fluster out of embarrassment. When the door shut behind her, a man with a weird hat was there, holding a cat tail in his hand. "Well done Rook. You caught him too yes?"
"Not yet, love."
"Bring him. Do not fail me."
"Oui."
Rook left to go fetch this person next, Karou couldn't believe she allowed some frenchie to lure her her. "Um....you...."
"Vil Schoenheit. Actor, model, influencer and Pomefiore dorm leader." Karou told her self this guy was a show off, but Vil continued her chat, "The last time we met was in the mirror chamber."
"Yea, I remember...Uh..I'm just gonna go get Gri-"
"Stay."
She froze in place, Vil crossed her arms at Karou, "There's manners I would like to discuss with you before the next housewarden meeting. I figured you should hear me out before anyone has their input."
"Oh..um...okay? Let me guess it's for my eyebrows huh? You gave me the brow pen on my first day here, well Crowley gave it to me in your place."
"Not at all, it's more than those poorly drawn on brows." She licked her thumb and wiped the poorly drawn brow off, "Do you have it?" Karou nodded and gave it to her, Vil fixing her brow as she spoke, "You see, since the time you were hear you've heard about a certain festival coming up yes?" Karou shook her head, "No, I was thrown off a cliff."
"So I've heard. The stream during that fiasco. Well, now that you no longer need to worry about that, there's something else you should worry about." Once she was done, Vil was satisfied with how Karou's brow looked now. She continued, "There's a competition with this so said festival called The Song and Dance Competition. SDC for short. I always participate, yet I always loose thanks too..." Vil didn't even want to say that name, Neige. A boy who called Vil his friend, but she thought differently of him. 'The little brat...maybe-' Vil smacked her head and growled, "Shut up!" Karou became confused on why Vil wigged out in that moment, she quickly composed herself, "Back on track, Crowley always lets get back on track. kNowing Crowley he will once again make me host. That's where you come on." Karou quickly covered her mouth, worried Vil would take her voice like Azul did. She moved her hand and reassured her, "Relax. I already have a beautiful voice. Now, I don't usually do this, but I need you on my team."
"Huh?!"
"I want you in my team. With a voice like yours, you could work for my group, you'd be doing me..I mean, Night Raven a huge favor."
"I could?" She got a bit cautious, "How do I know if I can trust you?"
"Because I'm a person of my word. If you say yes, that also means you will be helping me with another huge favor."
"What favor?"
The door opened again, Rook returned with a person over his shoulder, "LEMME GO! I SE'D LEMME GO YA DANG HAWK TOOTIN STA'KR!!!"
"I'm afraid I can't Monsieur Pommette. Rook placed him down. It was that boy Deuce always bumped into, Epel Felmier as Jack mentioned. He looked over at the two, "Uh oh.." Vil grabbed Epel by the ear, "OW OWOWOWWOW!"
"Running off again I see? I thought I told you that dance practice was mandatory today. Yet you dilibrantly disobeyed and decided to play hooky."
Epel seemed like he didn't want to be in the room, he seemed like he wanted out. Vil introduced Karou to him, "This baby potato is Epel. My next possible star pupil. That is, with a little bit of training and proper manners of course." She let go of his ear, Epel rubbing it still whining in pain. Vil continued Epel's introduction, "I've been helping him with dancing, stretches and beauty care. I even trained him in singing. But, the poor spud keeps running from me. That's where you come in, I need you to vocally train him, leave the dancing to me." Karou asked her, "Why is he so important to this SDC thing? He doesn't look like the kind of kid who would want to dance."
"Epel will learn. Sadly vocal training has become packed for me thanks to my schedule. But never for dancing. You're in charge with baby sitting him for singing and that alone. If any case, I'll also have Rook train you too, if you desire. I require Epel to be apart of the SDC with enough elegance and grace. So, if you help him, you will also join along side my group will you not? I'll even talk to Crowley if I need too." Epel shook his head, but Karou did love singing so how could she refuse, "I'll do it." Epel frowned in defeat, Vil was glad she agreed, "Good, starting after the house warden meeting tomorrow, you begin your vocal training for him. By the time auditions come, I will allow you to judge along side me and my loyal huntsman, Rook." Karou turned to him as he bowed his head, "Bonjour once again, Le Chaton."
'Ah so he's french...' Karou thought to herself, she turned her attention to Epel, "Um...if you wanna eat before then tomorrow..what do you like to eat."
"BBQ-"
Vil covered his mouth, "Epel likes macarons." Karou wasn't buying it, "I'm pretty sure he said Bar-" Vil mouthed her hand from Epel's mouth and grabbed Karou's chin, giving her a scary look, "Epel. Likes. Macarons." She already felt a sting of pain just from the grasp, Vil let her go, Karou rubbed her chin. "Okay, OW!"
"Now, you're excused. I will see you again at the housewarden meeting tomorrow. I need to help Epel with his ballet lessons."
The lilac haired boy crossed his arms, Rook helped uncross them, "Non non, you must stand straight Monsierur Pommette. It won't be good before your arms during dance lessons." Karou did almost feel bad, but Vil seemed like a good person despite her ego of being famous, though one question lingered on her mind. "Vil..."
"Hm?"
"Are you a boy or a girl?"
"Why does it matter?"
"Because my mom taught me in my world that men don't wear make up...or change their pronouns." She still had her mother's beliefs in her head, she never liked listening to them, but because of how she was born Karou had no choice. Vil shook her head and told her, "And if your mother told you the sky was orange would you listen?"
"Uh..."
"Gender has no effect on me. Gender does not apply to beauty no matter the form."
"But..is there any pronouns I should refer to you as?"
"Anything you want, as long as it isn't that nonsense. Didn't anyone outside of your family teach you that?"
Lilia came to mind, but he always called her beautiful, always asked her what SHE wanted rather than what her mom wanted. Karou simply answered, "I don't know..."
"Well think about it, and fix your brows, they're starting to look slanted."
She gave a nod and bowed her head, "Thank you...have a good day sir. O-or ma'am!:" She left the ballroom, inside Vil moved Epel to the ballet pole, "Now, today you're learning balance." Epel gulped, he hated balance, especially on his tippy toes of all places. Rook sat back and watched the lesson unfold, and yet one thing lingered in Vil's mind, or at least what the voice in her head was whispering, 'She will help you win against that boy. The one who took YOUR winning crown every single year.' She wanted to tell the voice shut up already, she didn't have any idea where it came from, more importantly, why the hell did she keep seeing the fairest queen in her mirror?
*DRIP*
-Hall of Mirrors-
Karou stepped out of the Pomefiore mirror, she needed to get back to Grim before he started to worry about her. "L-lady Karou..." What now? She turned to see Idia, hiding his face with a bouquet of flowers, Ortho trying to give him a small nudge, "Go on, talk to her." He encouraged, Idia slwoly made his way over, "Uh...hi.."
"Hi..Happy New Year."
Idia handed her the flowers, "Same. Uh...I picked these..for you."
"Oh. thank you." They looked to be the same as the last bouquet she recieved, Karou held the flowers in her hand, "Oh um....have you heard about this festival going on?"
"Oh...that...yep."
"You will join the SDC ri-"
Idia hid behind Ortho, "Nope nope nop nope nope sooooooo much nope." Ortho tried explaining, "Sorry, Idia isn't the kind of person to be on stage. But I am! I wanna join really bad! But I don't know if I'm programed with the right vocals." Karou happily encouraged, "I think by the time the auditions happen, you should join. If they allow instruments then maybe...create an instrument. After all, not all sangas in the singing cat's tale used a voice to give their tougas powers."
"Your fairytale sounds fun!"
Idia peaked up a little, hair still dusted pink, "Yea, you can take Ortho in if you want. I'd D.O.E(died of embarrassment) if I ever joined...." He cowered away. Karou was confused on why he was always so shy around her, she also wondered why he kissed his hand on her mouth that day. Oh! Right, that day, "Um...thanks again for helping me give Kalim the lamp idea. But how'd you know that would work?"
"..........uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh............." Idia ran off back into the Ignihyde mirror, Ortho sighed, "That's disclassified. But I will say he....He just had a theory when we saw the....thing up close. The genie shape gave it away, that's why we found the lamp in the storage room." Seemed Ortho was hiding something, but she ignored it and thought it was just something Weeb like Idia was reasearching.
"Ah. Well, I need to get going, Grim is probably worried sick about me."
"Alright! See ya around!"
Ortho floated back into Ignihyde. Karou looked at the Heartslabyul mirror wondering if she should check on Ace, but she left hoping he could handle things alone.
-Heartslabyul, hallway-
Ace went up stairs to find Riddle, till he heard sobbing coming from his room. 'A student's with him?' He looked through the crack only to find Riddle alone, sobbing into his pillow. Did something happen? He really didn;t want to do this, but it was his warden. He'd loose his head, or would he? Ace knocked on the door, 'Leave.'
"Its me du...housewarden."
'.....Who's me?'
"Ace. Trappola. The rebel."
'......Enter.'
-Riddle's room-
Ace slowly entered the room, Riddle tried sitting up to compose himself, "I'm sorry...you shouldn't see me like this. If you're here to yell at me to stop then make it quick." But Ace didn't do that, normally the real Ace would call him a crybaby, but instead he went over and sat at the side of the bed, "What's going on? I thought you were gonna talk to your mom? Did she give you a good scolding?" Riddle looked up, but he didn't get up, "I did."
"Oh. Then what's the problem."
"........."
"Your majesty, you can tell me."
"Riddle...address me as Riddle in private."
"Okay, Riddle."
He sniffled but found some bit of courage to speak, "I did tell her to be more reasonable with her tactics. She complied, though I was scolded for overblotting. She told me that there was a reason Night Raven forbad learning of such, and that I shouldn't of outbursted. It seemed like Crowley didn't tell her the full story or..I assume he didn't tell her everything. But when I was about to come out too her, I thought I mustered up the courage....but instead..."
_Flashback-
-Rosehearts' House-
"Mother...I'm-"
"Sorry for the blot? I know."
"No it's something else..."
His mother's fury grew quick, "What then?! If it's that your in love with the same sex again then I will transfer you to another college where you will never look at another man in those delusional eyes of yours! I TOLD YOU BEFORE MEN SHOULD BE WITH WOMEN AS WOMEN SHOULD BE WITH MEN! IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN THEN I HAVE NO SON!!!"
"......"
"Now, what was it you wanted to say?"
Riddle held back tears, "Nothing. I'm sorry for blotting."
"Very well. All is forgiven. Now, let's go, it's time for tea." She went over to the tea room, where Riddle slowly followed. Those words would be haunting him for the rest of the holiday.
-Flashback end-
-Riddle's room-
"There you have it. She understood the blot, and yet....she still held onto her beliefs." He sniffled and just didn't move, he fiddled with the braclet Ace got him. As he saw, Ace placed jhis hand ontop of Riddle's and asked, "Why didn't you talk to Trey about it?"
"I didn't want to bother him..."
"So you skulked in here all day? Come on your mom's not here you can look at guys all you want."
"It's not that, it's her words...if she found out I was gay she would disown me..." Riddle's eyes were red from crying, and yet he wasn't motivated to pick up a book, "Her words of saying 'I have no son' are like a knife. It's painful. But..." Realization hit knowing who was listening, "Why do you care? Aren't you going to call me a baby for this?" Ace sighed, he placed his hand on Riddle's head and ruffled his hair abit, "Yea, and I'm still a bit stingy about your change. And yet...even I can sometimes admit you don't deserve this." Moving his hand and shifting positions, he turned and lied beside Riddle to look at him, "Who cares if your mom knows or doesn't. You got Trey right? You also got that weirdo Chen'ya."
"Yes but..."
"Then tell them....and then some day some guy will comfort you with out your mom being a...well your mom."
As he looked into Ace's eyes, he sniffled, yet despite their first interaction, he felt at ease with him. Ace slowly moved his hand on Riddle's cheek, gently stroking it, Riddle felt more at ease and calm. The other Riddle would of pushed him off, but right now this Riddle was at ease. He moved himself against Ace for comfort, the ginger holding him in his arms, "I mean...sure." He was going to stay like this for a while, he sniffled and looked up at him, "Thank you...."
"Of course. But..don't tell anyone about this!"
"Hehe...I won't. Oh, and, I hope you did all your homework during the holidays."
"Aaaaand back to the old you."
Riddle giggled and went back to snuggling against him.
-Heartslabyul Hallway-
Trey found Riddle's room, He peaked through the door, seeing the two asleep. He gave a smile and closed the door quietly, not wanting to disturb them. "Yo! Trey! Did you find him?" Cater asked, "If I get more complaints I stg if more students complain about Rids I'll loose it."
"I found him, Riddle's okay. Guess someone came to cheek on him before me."
"Wait then-" Trey stopped Cater from entering took him away, "Let's just go prepare for the next Unbirthday."
-Main Street-
Karou meet up with Grim on main street, He hopped in her arms, "Quit leavin me with out my permission!"
"Sorry Grim, I got carried away." She looked at al seven statues with him in her arms. Yet, she had dreams of four of them. "Oi." WHo now? Karou turned to find Leona walking towards her, "I couldn't find you."
"Leona! Welcome back."
Grim just growled at him but Leona brushed him off, "I heard about everything. I'm sorry about all that." Ah so he saw. Karou added, "So Idia streamed it too you huh?"
"Yea, guess you threw the snake out from the pot." Grim added to the remark, "Yea! My minion and I took down that wolf in sheep's clothing!" Karou settled Grim on her shoulder, "Yea yea boss. Anyways, how was your holiday?"
"Fine. The little shit doesn't know I overblotted, and yet Neiji and my brother do."
"Oh, so are they hiding it from him?"
"They didn't want him to worry. I think five is a good age for him to learn."
"Yea right."
Leona placed his hand on her cheek much to her confusion, "I'm just glad your safe."
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF LADY KAROU!!"
A voice from a device called out, the group turned the floating tablet, "Oh! Idia hi again!" Karou happily greeted, "Back again?"
"I just wanted to make sure you were going home safely. Anyways what's HE doing here?!"
Leona groaned, "Great, the Radish Sprout floated over."
"Hey! I just wanted to make sure sure returned home safely without harm! andwithoutleavingmyroom." She sughed and reassured him, "I'll be fine. I have Grim anyways." Grim took pride for that, "Yea! I can protect my hench cat anytime! I am the mighty and powerful Grim after all!"
"BOO~!" A second voice called out making Karou and Grim shriek, oh great. Karou growled in frustration, "YOU AGAIN!" Grim growled along ide her, "WHATTA ARE YOU A HODEENI?!"
"Khehehe~ No, I'm Lilia~!" He flipped back rightside up and landed, eona giving him a nasty look, "You again." Lilia happily greeted him, "Leona! Hello! Oh I'm sure you've brushed off what I said right? I mean, it's basically water under the bridge." He didn't respond he just asked, "Why are you here?"
"I was looking for Malleus, but then I saw you two surrounding her like a flock of chickens." Karou asked, "Wait..is he the M.D guy?" Lilia only answered, "In do time." Idia only sighed, "Great, a fourth route option....maybe."
"A fourth what now?"
"Uh..nothing just..uh...thinking out loud."
Grim looked at all three and asked Karou, "Say, ain't it weird that these guys are the ones who seem to be around you more?" Karou whispered, "A bit, it's kinda...weird." Leona reminded her, "Oi, remember why you're here you stupid cat." Idia growled, "DON'T CALL LADY KAROU STUPID!" Lilia wondered why Idia called her that, "I never thought of that, Here I've been calling her Miss Karou like everyone else or Karou-chan." Leona only got mad at the two, he seemed to figure out why they were here, "So, she was a herbavore, now she's just a stupid cat."
"That's no way to talk to your awaker."
The trio began to argue, whether it was about her or the overblot incident back during the spell drive or about her. She was starting to get annoyed so she called out, "CUT IT OUT!" She yelled, her voice letting out that echoing glow from many many calls before. Grim shook his head, "Geez no need to yell in my ear." The two that were present turned their attention too her, Idia in his room kept his eye on her as she continued, "Look, clearly the four of us were gathered out of pure coincidence and I don't know myself. But why I came down here was cause of the Great Seven. My dreams have been getting out of hand and that's why I always took a walk from time to time, I've seen four of them, I saw the truth, I even saw two deaths in two of them. I just want an answer and why I'm getting this connection to the great seven." Leona could figure it out if he could but he asked, "Did you see the king of beasts?"
"Yes....he didn't earn his title through schemes....he-"
"Killed his brother. I'm aware." Seems Leona was aware of the truth, but Idia added to that, "Well this is why they labeled Lord of the Underworld, or well..King. HE WAS A LITERAL DEATH GOD! Bro could take your life span if he could out of a deal. He had this girl on a wire for her life!" Karou turned to Lilia, "And the thorn fairy?" Lilia only remained silent for a moment before saying, "If only someone invited her..."
"Huh? Was she.."
"Well I wish I could go further, but I don't want to make your dreams worse." He told her. "It doesn't help that you were able to see their memories liek we discussed before." Idia gave his comment, "RIP. Guess you gotta unlock that part. Somehow." Leona only kept his silence again, but a certain voice came to Karou, 'Seems these three are your main tougas. But...who do you trust the most?' Konoe whispered, was he asleep again?! Did that so said kid lead him? Grim hopped of her shoulder and told them, "Well, who ever these cheaters were, there no better than that lion or the snakey guy!" As the argument continued, Karou placed her hand on a staue with out realizing till, *STATIC* She winced in pain which caught their attention, "KAROU/LADY KAROU/MISS KAROU-CHAN!" She hissed at the sting, as they tried to make sure she didn't fall back. "I'm sorry.....I....." What she didn't know, was that her hand was placed on the statue of The Fairest Queen. And in that quick moment....
The memory she saw, was a little princess no less than fourteen, being offered an apple by an old peddler who turned out to be the queen in disguise.