Diary....

I don't know where to begin on my end.... Vil from Pomefiore was the fifth person to submit to Overblot...he nearly destroyed the VDC....but we managed to stop him....

The other two that kidnapped me are associated with Xedok, Acheron, and tried to kill me, but someone saved me before they could do permanent damage. And... I finally got the last Artifact. But....now things will become more difficult than I believed....instead of feeling a sense of accomplishment, all I feel is dread....

Grim's approaching the edge of unleashing all hell upon Night Raven...the rocks he kept eating are the cause of this....if he gets his hands on the others....I just shiver at the thought of what will happen...

And now I have two guardians who will replace Ophelia after what transpired of my 'past' if you could call it that....

Grrr....what's real or not?! Am I just gonna be kept in the dark on everything surrounding me?! Well, I don't care.... I'll find answers, and I'm not doing it alone. And I don't care WHO I have to fight to find them!

I'm changing what the damn book; fate has in store. And THAT'S a promise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 6: The Guardian of The Underworld
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Charlie's body was swathed in pale blue and yellow light. Lying in her bed, in her room, at the dorm. Her chest rose and fell in even breaths, signaling she was in a sleep mode of sorts. On either side of her sat Sol and Luna. Both girls were holding out their hands, which were glowing the same colors that surrounded Charlie.

"Poor thing...." Sol sighed heavily and sadly. "She must've been crushed to see Grim turn out like this...." she looked upon Charlie's face with a frown.

"Imagine how more crushed she'll be to learn she's not who she thinks she is..." Luna muttered to herself, but Sol heard it and glared at her.

"Enough! Do you want Astraeus to chide us?! After what we promised?!"

"Of course not!...She's our sister..." Luna fumed but lost her anger and sighed heavily. "We'd never leave her to suffer, even after what happened back then....And...." She felt her voice grow softer the more she spoke.

"Admit it: you want her to come back as much as I do." Sol said, looking at her with melancholy.

"...But Charlotte is the only one who can free her." Luna whispered. "And....And Eos..."

"But what of Paul? Her father?" Sol adds. "When Paul was in the car crash, she saved him!" She looked over at the nightstand where Charlie kept her family photo. The picture of the Luchessi family, altogether and smiling like it was the happiest day in their lives. Sol pressed her lips into a thin line as she felt herself recall what happened. "You remember it as well as me: although the bodies were still in the real world, their spirits were taken elsewhere. Paul's soul was absorbed as a means to preserve him. Only together can they be freed from limbo...."

"But Eos is another problem!" Luna reminds. "He's trapped in that wretched Dark Mirror! And only one of his blood can free him!" She grunts, "....at least we're not going through what happened back at Sparx." Luna didn't say anything else as she focused on healing Charlie.

"And...Malleus." Sol remembers. "He's likely to be awaiting that she remembers soon. If she doesn't, I fear what will happen....And...will those two remember?" She asked tersely.

"Which two....?" Luna looked at her.

"The Merchant's heir...and the hunter...?"

"....It's likely they will in due time...." Luna nodded with pursed lips. "Five hundred years is a long time to remember you were someone else before now. It seems Reincarnation isn't a myth as believed."

The two looked upon Charlie with soft gazes as they could see her as the girl she was...

"Charlie...." Sol unconsciously murmured.

Suddenly, a magic circle appeared over Charlie, making the sisters jump away in surprise. The sun, moon and star symbols Charlie had drawn were etched into the center of the circle, burning brightly. A tall pillar of light surrounded Charlie's body as the levels of magic, hers, began to slowly climb. The sisters could even feel it from where they were.

"Her magic!" Luna gasped.

"Yes, I feel it too! It's growing!" Sol nods. "I guess Astra isn't as far away as we believed..." The sister smiled softly as the ground stood still and the magic circle vanished.

Sol's eyes lit up and she walks to where Charlie's bag is. She rummaged through it and pulled out the phone Crowley lent her. "What are you doing?" Luna asked carefully as Sol began to search for two people.

"Making a few calls....." was what Sol told her before leaving the room, and left Luna to look over Charlie.
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Ophelia found herself teetering as she walked along the bookshelves. Her arms felt like lead every time they hit her sides. She didn't even have the nerves left in her hand to lift her scepter, which dragged behind her, scraping the ground as she walks on. Behind her laid her headwear, the gems ripped and scattered everywhere at the metal headpiece's feet, along with silk sandals, one overturned against the other like she kicked them off in a hurry.

She didn't know what happened. One minute, she was okay: reading an ancient spell book on her throne when she needed to see something. But the moment she stood up, it felt like something sucked all her tolerance for pain away and left her a bruising mess when she stumbled from her footing. She fell down the small staircase and landed on the ground harshly. When she tried to stand back up, icy hot pain shot through her body. Cramps ravaged her, making her spasm and curl into a ball as they struck every nerve inside. She began to crawl away as the cramps began subsiding, but it still brought pain as she moved. In a hazy attempt whilst getting to her feet, she had kicked off her shoes and ripped off her crown, leaving them on a mess behind her as she used the bookshelf as a guide to safety, only to lose feeling in her arms, which lead her to where she was now.

"Agh!" She moaned in pain when she felt her right leg buckle and fell to the floors. She landed harshly on her side, managing to save her head with but her left arm. She hissed as she felt the icy burns flash into her muscles and tendons like a branding iron. She tried to cope with the pain, but she felt something slithering up her neck and to the left side of her face under her skin. She froze, not wanting to see what it was, but forced herself to.

Staring into the mirror at her side, her eyes widened in horror. Black veiny markings ran from the base of her collarbone up to neck, then her jaw and cheek and stopped just above her eyebrow, leaving jagged lines across her eye like someone tried to cut her eyeball out with a sharp blade. Tears came to her eyes before she knew it. "No....no, please!" She whispered hoarsely. In a desperate act, she pulled down the shoulder and sleeve of her dress, ignoring the sound of ripping fabric and the breaking of the sewing threads. The look in her eyes grew more horrified. It was worse than she thought.

The vein markings had spread down from the collarbone to her chest, arm and hand. Each fingertip was a myriad of small web veins, which stemmed from the back of her hand like a decrepit skeleton. The markings traveled further from her stomach and leg, the fabric of the dress's skirts hiding what she obviously knew was more markings. Ophelia shook. If this was how her torso looked, she was too afraid to even see what condition her legs were in.

"My Lady!!!" A familiar voice called from further away as she hissed with the pain. Fawkes appeared, a blazing light of red as he jostled mid-flight, mouth open in surprise. "What happened?! I thought-?!"

"No....it's getting worse than I believed." She suppressed any pain in her voice as best as possible, only a few cracks in her voice gave it away what the markings did to her.

"Come, we'll have Liccy and Gwen get the potions ready! I'll go grab the spell book!" Fawkes began to plan out, rather rapidly.

"Fawkes."

"We didn't know your pain was this adamant! We'll do what we can to keep it at bay!"

"Fawkes!"

"We can't have Charlotte know about this, and I promise-"

"FAWKES!!!" Ophelia lost her patience and shouted rather abrasively, startling the little sprite. "I can handle myself...I'm not weak! What I DO need from you.....is to look over Charlotte from now on."

"What?! A-Already?!" The fire sprite was startled.

"Yes. It's time. You must take care of her now in my stead." She nods.

"But Lady Ophelia! What about you?!"

"I have other sprites who can help heal me." She assured, getting to her knees. "Leave my injuries for me to worry over. Charlotte is your main priority now. And I want you to keep close contact with her....as I try to stabilize this." She looked at the marks in disdain. But one last look at Fawkes and she gave a reassuring smile. "You've always been at my side, Fawkes. And I couldn't be more grateful. This will be my last order for a while: watch over Charlotte and be sure to guard her at all times, okay?"

".....As you wish." He reluctantly sighed. A bright red light portal appeared behind him from the double doors as he looked over his shoulder at it and back to his lady. She gave him an encouraging smile as he flew towards it, back facing her. His small crystal wings fluttered as he faced the portal, albeit nervously, and flew through it with his eyes shut.
——————————

I felt like I was floating on a platform of clouds. Fluffy, comfy and soothing. 'Wow....I could get used to this....'

But the light had other plans, deciding to flash my retinas blind.

"Ahh!!" I hissed as my eyes flew open, blinking to see. "Ugh, are you kidding me?!" I fumed, but then I saw a huge golden gate in front of me. An awfully familiar gate....and through those gates was Mount Olympus.

There stood Zeus with Hera and their baby Hercules. "On behalf of my son, I want to thank you all for your wonderful gifts!" He smiled as Hera handed him their child, who teethed on his pendant when he yawned, growing sleepy. Zeus smiled as he tucked his boy in his crib, kissing his temple with fatherly love.

"How sentimental." A new voice spoke up. All eyes turned to a dark corner in the room as a familiar face made its debut. "You know, I haven't been this....choked up since I got a hunk of moussaka caught in my throat! Eh?" He tried to lighten up the room with a witty remark only to receive dead silence and glares from the other gods. After a stiff greeting with Zeus, and getting his finger crushed by the baby Hercules, Hades was brought into a side hug by his brother.

"Come on, Hades, don't be such a Stiff! Join the celebration!"

"Hey, love to, babe. But unlike YOU gods, lounging about up here, I regrettably have a full-time gig, that you, by the way, So charitable bestowed upon me, Zeus. So....can't. Love to! But can't..."

"You oughta slow down! You'll work yourself to death!....Ha!! Work yourself to death! HA!!!" The joke had gotten a wave of laughs from the other gods as Zeus fell back into his throne, still laughing. "Ha! I kill myself sometimes!"

Hades gave a fake smile until he turned his back, losing the smile for a deep scowl as he made his way back to the underworld, muttering, "If only....if only!"
—————————

Amber eyes fell open as Charlie's blurred vision started to make out shapes. Two women. One with silver hair and the other sun gold.

"Sol....Luna....?" Her voice cracked as she woke up.

"Hey, sweetie. You okay?" Sol smiled as she helped Charlie sit up carefully.

"I think so....." she whispered, her head hurting as she recalled what happened before she passed out. After escaping Grim from the stadium and meeting the two sisters, Charlie decided to let them stay with her at the Ramshackle dorm as payment for saving her. And until she found proper answers to her visions and what's being kept from her past. She felt sleep overcome her mind as she had fallen onto the bed, tired from the whole day: her feet aching proved just that.

"And....I think we should tell-" but Luna never finished as the door was forced open and in scrambled Ace and Deuce.

"Charlie!!!" They raced over to her bedside. "We came as fast as we could!"

"Guys?!" She was taken aback. "What are you doing here?" But before they answered Luna stood up.

"So you two are the nimrods who put Charlotte through all that wild brouhaha?!" Luna looks over the scared first years, who cowered over her terrifying face.

"Yes, ma'am....?" Deuce squeaked. Ace tried to shake off his nerves as he talks,

"We got a call from you telling us to get over here!"

"What?! I never-!"

"It was me." Sol confessed. "I took your phone and called them and told them to come here to tell them what's up."

"Sol!" Charlie hissed.

"They deserve to know that Grim vanished after what he did!" The blonde defends.

"Yea, what do you mean by 'vanished'?" Deuce asked.

Charlie looked between the blonde and the two dunderheads she called partners. Remembering she promised to be more honest and open, she sighed, knowing she can't take back her promise. "You're right, Sol....Guys...." She looked straight at them. "I left the dorm looking for Grim, knowing he was up to something. When I found him at the stadium, he had swallowed the ink rock. But....he's changed. It's like he lost all sense of his own self! He didn't know who I was and he tried to kill me!"

This had surprised the two boys. "He...he what?!"

"It's true." Luna picks up. "But we had managed to interfere and save Charlotte before he could do any permanent damage. But we don't know what happened to the creature after we teleported away to safety."

"Oh my god...." Deuce sounded hurt.

".....I.....I think we should move to the lounge." Charlie suggests, sending the awkward air. ".....I think you should properly meet my friends and...learn what happened."
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[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

With some persuasion to call Crowley, the headmaster had made it to the dorm as fast as he could.

"Charlotte, I came as- who are they?" Crowley asked, looking at the sisters.

"They....are the people who helped me escape from Grim." Charlie spoke. "They're Sol and Luna Brighton."

"You must be the headmaster." Sol greets first.

"Uh...y-yes!" Crowley forgot for a second after looking at the sisters for a few seconds. He felt that there was something rather off about them.... "Dire Crowley. Now what's this I hear about Grim?"

"We should explain...again." Luna huffs.

By the time she finished, Crowley was absorbing everything with a small frown and and unreadable expression in his eyes. "So let me get this straight: after Charlotte awoke speaking to this 'Mickey' person through the mirror in her room, she realized Grim was gone, went to find him only to be attacked at the last minute, when you girls saved her?...."

"And it's all because of the overblot rock he swallowed!" Charlie added.

Crowley as well as the two boys froze at that. "Overblot rock?!"

"Wait....it must've looked like the one back at the mines?" Ace thought.

"And when Riddle and Azul overblotted all those months ago...." Deuce nods.

"But he didn't show signs of change!" Ace recalled. "He seemed fine!"

"Wait, what's an overblot rock?" Sol was confused.

Crowley remembered they were new so he began to explain. "I've told the others before, so I'll explain again for you girls, too. Overblot is the state of insanity a wizard experiences when the overuse of magic combined with an unstable mind can turn them into terrifying monsters. It's like an overflow of magic that resides in the wizard's body. It's the excess waste of strong magic power and contains strong toxicity with it. And with it comes a literal monster that manifests through dark emotions."

"So...to defeat it, we need to sever the bond between the incarnation and the wizard themself?" Ace summarized.

"We'll this isn't the first time we've done that." Deuce reminds.

"And what of me?" Charlie stood up. "My magic stems a lot differently that everyone else's in this world. The use of "Liberato Magia" was used only  twice and it destroyed the monster and cleansed the leaders. The other times.....well, they went much differently."

"Well there was one thing I forgot to mention." Crowley says. "You see, any remnant of blot that the monster inquired can shape itself into a crystal as it vanishes. The magic stones were forged when Gems from the mine gather surrounding magic in the air and all around it. Its not that common to see the same substance be forged into the same shape it corrupted in the beginning. But I had yet to lay eyes on one. Cases of Overblot are very rare. It wouldn't happen often, but..."

'So even if all of the blot is gone from my light, there's still remnants of it that can prove it was still there....' Charlie thought bitterly.

"So you're saying that...what is left from the overblot is a rock filled with a swarm of pent-up emotions, like rage, and the extra dark power from the victim?" Ace murmured and the headmaster nods. "Grim has eaten quite a few of them..."

"So Charlie is onto something: the stones are what's causing Grim to act out of violence." Deuce frowns.

"I can't be sure myself." Crowley says. "There may still be hints of Grim's humanity inside but he's still an unknown creature. Maybe his violent nature is his true persona.....And with the Festival still picking up tomorrow, we can't risk this monster getting loose and attacking innocent bystanders!"

"He's not a monster!" Deuce snapped as he and Ace glared a the headmaster. Just hearing the headmaster call him that made their blood boil.

"I'm not saying he IS." Crowley glared at them. The two shrunk back a little in fear, but stood their ground as he continued. "I let him enroll into the school under Miss Luchessi's request, but the matter still stands: depending on how aggressive he is, he won't be allowed back into the school altogether." This caused Ace and Deuce to look at each other, knowing that it's highly likely Grim will be expelled for this. "I will contact the dorm leaders and have them capture Grim this instant."

"Y-You can't do that!" Deuce tried to speak but the Headmaster's hands were tied.

"I'm sorry, but there's no other choice. Charlotte, have you and the sisters secure and deadbolt all the doors and windows in the dorm. And you two, get back to Heartslabyul!" he turned to leave as he spoke to himself, "It won't be long until THEY arrive....."

"....Sir did you say something?" Ace overheard but the headmaster was quick to cover himself,

"No, not a thing! I...just have something that must be done." Crowley left in a hurry, shutting the door behind himself.

Charlie didn't look at either of the boys and they her. But they knew this had to be discussed. Luna, sensing this, whispered softly to her,

"We'll leave you three be. Soleil and I will start deadbolting the windows and doors." Charlie nods mutely as Luna led Sol away down the hall. Once they were out of sight, Ace took his time to break the tension.

"So he says Grim won't be allowed to stay here anymore depending if he's really being consumed by the rocks....so they'll expel him when they confirm he's truly a monstrous thing?"

"I-I mean....I know he's pushy, selfish and impatient, but he'd never hurt Charlie or anyone else without reason!....Maybe...." Deuce tried to defend the cat-racoon creature but slowly knew he couldn't win the debate on his own.

"We know what you're trying to say, man. He's a monster and an unknown creature. If he gets out of campus grounds, he's likely to terrorize the whole town on the island....hate to say it but...I side with the Headmaster."

"Ace, what the-?!"

"-But throughout the half year he's been here with Charlie and us, he's learnt to be more open, cooperative and keenly mindful." Ace finished, making Deuce falter and look back on all they've gone through.

"Y...Y-You're right. And he's met everyone here."

"So...Charlie, this is something I think YOU need to pass judgement on." Ace looked at her softly. "You're third eye has shown you what there is to know about Grim's fate. So what do you say we do....?"

Charlie nibbled on her lower lip unsurely. She knew that her predications were more than likely to come true. But if there was something, even a sliver of a branch of hope....maybe she won't have to fight Grim in his chimera form....maybe....

"I.....I want to try and save him...." she sighed.

"I knew you'd say that." Ace smiled. "So let's go and look for him!"

"No you won't!" Luna barged in, pushing Ace and Deuce away. "Charlotte just got attacked hours ago and you two are still insistent on dragging her into more trouble, not if I can help it! NOW GET OUT!!!"

"Luna, stop!" Charlie snapped, forcing the silver-haired girl to stand down. "I know you're worried about me getting injured, but I can handle myself. I want to find Grim and keep him sealed up until he's stable to get answers out of."

"Besides, we've stuck beside Charlie for months. We can prote- defend her." Ace corrects himself, knowing she'd chew him out with the whole, 'I'm not a damsel in distress, I can protect myself' thing.

"Well......my Lady, you wont get far with these limp-dick jackasses." Luna turned to her, the insult gaining offended looks from the boys. "So...I request that Sol and I go with you to find him."

"No one's stopping you." Charlie smiled. "I mean, you did knock some sense into me when you first whisked in and saved me."

Luna turned away with a little frown at that, but the hint of a faint smile quirks the edges of her lips. "But...your, uh...the robes...."

"Can you run in them?" Ace inquired.

"We figured you'd ask, so we wore clothes underneath just in case." Luna unsnapped the buttons from under her neck and the cloak slipped off. She wore dark leggings, matching black shoes and a long sleeved turtleneck. She swiftly threw the cloak onto the back of the plush lounge chair. "Now let's hurry!"
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"....So this is the basis of what's going on. All of you be on the lookout for Grim and subdue him!" Crowley explained. "As of now, the faculty are on the move."

Vil pursed his lips. "Ah...So Ugly Duckling was attacked by the creature through reasons unknown..."

"He'd never do anything like this!" Kalim frets.

"You seriously had me drag my ass at 11pm just to know that that mongrel's gone AWOL?....that's it, I'm going back to bed." Leona rolled his eyes with a yawn and turned heel to go back, but was stopped by a forceful tug at his jacket. He looked over his shoulder to see Riddle with a scowl on his lips.

"The guests will be returning for the next day of the festival! We must lock him up to avoid there being casualties."

"He's quite the troublemaker, so it'd only be a matter of time before he'd move that trouble to the crowds beyond." Azul murmured.

"I apologize if Malleus isn't here, he needed fresh air." Lilia nodded. "It'd be hard to find Grim alone...but having more people for search parties makes up for it."

"A question!" Ortho raised his hand up in the air. He wasn't in his white body suit, and instead was with the Ignihyde body Idia has equipped him with. "Should I check the survival status of the target?"

"NO YOU WILL NOT!!!" Crowley screamed. "Do not harm the creature in any way, shape or form!"

Idia, who was using his tablet to communicate, mumbles to himself. "Guess we automatically fail the mission if we don't follow the rules...fine." he sighed. "But...Ortho's more inclined for this kind of event."

"I've got a map installed with a model of the whole campus!" Ortho giggled. "It'll be easier to find him with the Infrared Radiation Scan."

"Everyone, do not fail!" Crowley called out as everyone split and began the search.
——————

In the woods behind the campus, both Shroud Siblings walked, or floated, side by side as Ortho used infrared scan to pinpoint Grim. Soon, they found him and Ortho nods.

"Detection of living being at 15m, 70 cm: height. Magic power detected. Target located! Activating Electro Shock!" He raised his hand and from his wrist was a small thin black band. But a pinprick of blue shone through the crack and it unleashed a stream of blue lightning which electrified Grim and forced him to pass out.

"Target subdued! Checking Vital signs." Ortho walked up to him and began to do a complete body scan. "Complete. Pulse: normal. Breathing: normal. No serious injuries detected. Mission accomplished. Sending feedback to the administration now."

"Good job, Ortho." Idia hums. "Nice speedrun. Or rather, a tool-assisted one at that....Anyhoo, we got what we came for and the mission was cleared in a breeze. Let's hand him over to the Headmaster."

"Right! And I'll get back to the dorm once done!" Ortho saluted and began to march back to campus as Idia floated after, muttering to himself.

"It'd wound me to think we'd lose a precious fluffy cat on the campus.... " he was silent for a while until he said, "I hope he won't get expelled..."
——————

-Back on the main campus-

"OOOOOI!!! GRIIIIIM!!" Deuce yelled, but Ace clamped his hands over Spade's mouth to shut him up.

"ARE YOU NUTS?!" He whispers fiercely. "If we get caught, it's your head that'll roll! Now zip it!!"

Deuce finally realized his mistake and yanking Ae's hands off, though the idea of licking them to get them off not only disgusted him but would make him snicker, whispers, "Sorry....Grim...want some tuna....?"

Luna scoffed. "I can't believe you had to put up with them for over half a year...." Charlie merely shrugs. Just then her phone began to vibrate. She grabbed it and saw Crowley's name on the screen. Or rather, his contact name: Deadbeat Bird.

She answered, "Yes?"

"Charlotte. We got word: the Shroud Brothers have gotten Grim."

"What?" she gasped, alarming the boys. She then put him on speaker for everyone to listen.

"Yes: Grim was caught by the Shrouds. Thank goodness...If I cancelled tomorrow, Ambrose would surely know something's up."

This made Charlie raise an eyebrow. "Ambrose...?" she whispered.

"From what I gathered, he's RSA's headmaster." Sol whispers to her. "From what he said, makes you wonder what he's hiding from us."

"Makes him all the more sketchy and suspicious if you ask me...." Luna muttered as Crowley spoke up.

"Anyways, I've called everyone else and told them to stop the search. We cannot speak to Grim as of now. We'll begin to interrogate once he's conscious, and I'll also call in a professional to assist us. So I cannot allow you to see him."

"It's fine, sir." Charlie said. "As long as he's locked up, that's all that matters."

"Very well, that is all." the line disconnects.

"So...I guess we can't start talking to Grim...." Ace mumbled.

"Do you think he attacked any of the searchers?!" Deuce frets.

"Highly likely, but considering he's subdued he can't do much now that he passed out." Charlie answered, leaving the boys to be worried as she said good night to them and left back for the dorm with Sol and Luna.
——————

The Very next day, after confirming Grim was sealed away from the public eye and under lockdown should he be listed as a danger, Crowley proceeded to enroll Sol and Luna into the school as students. Since they insisted they didn't wish to consent with the dark mirror in which dorm to be placed, the two requested to stay with Charlie in the Ramshackle dorm to which Crowley agreed with almost immediately. The girls then proceeded to be fitted into their own uniforms. Soon, they settled into their chosen fabrics and styles.

Sol kept her bangs pinned back on her head, hair down, but she wore a purple blouse with a white dress collar and sleeves that stopped halfway above her elbows. A lavender waist corset tied at her hips, blending with a black skirt, white ruffles sewn at the bottom edge. Purple and gold thigh-high stockings and pale yellow Mary-Jane flats don her legs and feet. And for some outwear, a nice deep green raincoat with pockets.

Her lab gear consisted of pink-tinted goggles, a long white lab coat and black gloves, and black leggings; her hair was tied into two twin tails.

And her gym clothes included a loose bright pink t-shirt, dark grey shorts, knee high pink socks and shoes and hair up into a tousles ponytail.

Luna took to the more formal approach with her uniform. A short sleeved blouse with gold buttons decorating the front, the black and white striped tie was shortened to reach past her bust, she wore an orange-yellow skirt and belt to match, black tights and peach kitten heel shoes. Her coat was a light pink jacket with puffed sleeves and double breasted buttons.

Unlike Sol's Lab gear, she had stuck to a lab coat that reached the same length as her skirt, black gloves, but her shoes were rubber soled boots and hair swept high up onto her head into a messy bow.

Her gym gear was completely simple. A turquoise shirt, long green shorts, and green sneakers and calf socks, hair twisted into low pigtails.

"Well, I must say...with Crewel's help, he was really insightful to helping us with uniforms." Luna sighed, both she and her twin in their school uniforms.

"Yea. I mean, he says mine is a lot different than the standard girls' uniforms. Aside from the different color, Most women back then never wore pants." Charlie says. "But I feel comfortable in these." She felt the fabric of the pants she wore breeze her bare legs like satin linen. "Plus, even if I wanted to wear a skirt, I'd have to wear spandex shorts underneath. Last thing I wanted is my skirt lifted from behind by an unknown jackass....."

"And thank goodness you're lending me that extra pair you have!" Sol thanked with her usual sunny smile. "I kinda like this skirt! I love the preppy vibe it gives!"

The three girls walked side by side as they talked, but suddenly a red blurb of....something rammed into Charlie, who was in the middle of the two. What rammed into her....was a small bright red orb.

"Miss Charlie!!!" The new person squealed as they clung to her cheek in a death grip hug.

Charlie plucks the small...thing off her and holding it with two fingers she glared at him. "Excuse me, but do I know you?"

The little Sprite, what looked like, huffed and crossed his arms. "You should! I am-"

"Fawkes?!" The twins approached.

"Wait, you two know him?" Charlie looks at the sisters.

"He's Ophelia's right hand man." Sol nods. This made Charlie narrow her eyes at the sprite, not caring how cute he looked with his bright red hair, yellow eyes and cutesy sailor man uniform.

"Oh....what do you want, short stack?" She spat.

"RUDE!!" Fawkes huffed. "Here I was offering you my help, my lady, and you dare call me names?! Hmph! I should punish you!"

"I have a solid reason as to why I don't trust you." Charlie snapped back. "If you're associated with Ophelia, I can't trust anyone she sends." This made Luna glare at her.

"What did I say last night?!"

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Fawkes looked at her, knowing what she was walking about. "You...! B-But you don't understand, Lady Ophelia is in trouble!"

"...What do you mean 'trouble'?" Sol looked confused as did the other girls.

Fawkes gulped as he stuttered. "T-The Black Hole Virus....it's killing her!" The twins froze in horror but this made Charlie confused.

"What's the Black Hole Virus....?" She asked unconsciously. All three shared a look as Sol sighed and stepped forward with a frown, which unnerved Charlie for some reason.

"The Black Hole Virus is a magical and powerful dark virus that can do unspeakable horrors to a person it's latched onto."

"Like what....?" Charlie felt goosebumps as Sol answered, looking out the window with a steeled gaze.

"Like the very thing it's named after, it comes in the form of a black sphere which implants itself into a host body. And it can do many things. The first being a deadly one: where over time, the sphere will absorb the user's energy. Be it Physical, emotional or psychological mental strength, or their life force. The only way you can tell if someone has undergone the process of being weakened by it is vein markings the color of the orb itself. And the more a person is subjected to the Virus, the more the markings appear until most of their body is marred by it."

"....And....are there....s-side effects of this....?"

"There are.....it can be a list of things: loss of nerves, extreme vertigo, or imagine the worst cramp you've ever had in your life. Times that by 100 and instead of just one place....it's in every part of your body...even your eyes.....almost....like inhaling Sarin gas.....both deadly, toxic and life-threatening...." Charlie was starting to become scared just by hearing all this. She thought Sol was tolerant of what she was saying, but Charlie looked closer. She saw....a hint of fear in Sol's eyes. Like she was scared of what was coming out of her own mouth. This wasn't the bright and sunny twin Charlie befriended.....this was like she was someone else.

".....You......you mentioned....there were....t-two things....the Virus is capable of.....if that's the first....wh-what's the second....?" She said on a voice far below a whisper.

Sol looked at her, now her fear was really showing through and it scared the shit out of Charlie. She didn't even realize she let go of Fawkes as he zipped close to her, leaning against her neck for support. "The second....it's a bit more tame than the first....but it's still horrible.....the host....can experience a change."

"Change...?"

"....like all of their evil is released. All the negative emotions and sins that a person feels or has felt in the past: gluttony, pride, wrath, envy, vengeance, greed, even lust...all that and more....manipulated; controlled through the Virus, those emotions can be merged into one and become sentient." Charlie gasped at that. "Yes, these emotions can actually forge themselves into a being, an alter ego, that can corrode the host their inside of and take over their body and with the Black Hole Virus behind it all, they're nearly invincible."

"Have there been many cases of this...?"

"That's....something we'd rather not say." Luna looked away sadly. Charlie agreed not to press further as she turned away sadly. Now she felt horrible. Judging Ophelia, thinking the woman lied to her, and not knowing she was being subjected to this horrid thing....that'd be a fate worse than death.

"And....that's why I'm here." Fawkes spoke up to her, patting her cheek gently. "Miss Ophelia wanted me to come here....and watch over you."

"But what about her?!" Charlie shouted. "She's being tortured by this....this infection and you're supposed to be someone she trusts to help! Why are you here and not with her?!"

"Because she's doing this to save you." Fawkes said, his voice leveled and controlled so as to not start a shouting match. "She specifically asked for me to go to you and be at YOUR beck and call." He blew some dust into her eyes which made Charlie see what happened before Fawkes left.

There she saw Ophelia, Fawkes hovering before her as she smiled through the obvious pain on her face. ".....It's time. You must take care of her now in my stead." She nods.

"But Lady Ophelia! What about you?!"

"I have other sprites who can help heal me." She assured, getting to her knees. "Leave my injuries for me to worry over. Charlotte is your main priority now. And I want you to keep close contact with her....as I try to stabilize this." She looked at the marks in disdain. But one last look at Fawkes and she gave a reassuring smile. "You've always been at my side, Fawkes. And I couldn't be more grateful. This will be my last order for a while: watch over Charlotte and be sure to guard her at all times, okay?"

".....As you wish."

The vision ended and Charlie was blinking but she stopped.

"She....she did this...-"

"For you. She knows you're becoming more powerful, and she's more worried over you than her." Fawkes said sadly. "You and her are the same: worrying over others more than yourselves to the point where you'd be injured in battle just to protect the ones you grow close with."

"It's my nature...." Charlie agreed sadly. She was too numbed with pain to feel Sol hugging her, the blonde near tears.

"She really does love you and care for you, Charlie." She smiled through her tears. But the brunette didn't reply back. The only thing she did was look at Fawkes with tired eyes. He placed his tiny hand over her knuckle.

"I will stay here to make sure I'll keep an eye on you." He smiled. She could only offer an empty smile back. How he was going to blend in with the other students, get a uniform or help her around the dorm, she didn't want to ask. After being dumped by a bunch of information she didn't know about til now....it's bad enough knowing Overblot could lead to a person's death, but the Black Hole Virus...that was on another level of dark fates she didn't want to think about....
—————————

Days passed and Charlie tried to forget about Ophelia's condition. Fawkes was a lot of help, on the bright side. He was very helpful when it came to managing the dorm, as the ghosts who nearly got their hands burned off when coming into contact with him, and taught Charlie everything there was on Spritlings. They're connected to certain elements by birth and can shapeshift into different things. Fawkes was one of the more experienced and confessed he could shapeshift into a human to blend in with others around him. Not much had changed when he showed her, except his hair was a deeper scarlet, longer and tied into a low messy ponytail, his eyes resembled honey and his clothes went to a burgundy dress shirt, the same black and gold pants all the guys wore with their uniforms and black high tops. But for camouflage purposes, Charlie requested that he stay in his sprite form for easier hiding.

It was one day, however, that Charlie had gotten a group text from the VDC troupe. Vil wants everyone to gather at the Ramshackle Dorm for one final meeting and that they'd arrive in ten minutes. Naturally, Charlie, pissed that she wasn't notified earlier, ran for the lounge to get everything cleaned up as fast as she could, but with two, three, new hands around the house, everything was spic and span with one minute to spare. The knock sounds and Charlie led them in.

"Thanks again for having us over, Charlie." Epel smiled.

"What can I say?" she shrugged. Epel stopped when he saw the two new faces and everyone paused, except for Ace and Deuce.

"Who are they?" the first year asked.

"They-"

"Who we are is none of your concern." Luna said coldly, glaring at the newcomers.

"Luna!" Sol jabbed her sister in the ribs ad smiled at the group. "Sorry about her, she's just not socially anept! We came here to NRC after....the Grim incident." this made everyone look with confusion at the three girls.

"It's true." Charlie nods. "They saved me when Grim cornered me. And they'll help me try and find answers to what we all talked about the day after the VDC. So, they'll be staying here in the Ramshackle dorm with me for the time being. Guys, Soleil and Luna Brighton. Sol, Luna, these guys are whom i was working with."

"Let me guess: Jamil Viper, Kalim Al-Aslim of Scarabia; Epel Felmier, Rook Hunt and Vil Schoenheit of Pomefiore." Luna said out of nowhere, surprising the others.

"H-How'd you...?" Kalim implied.

"Trust me: it's not that hard knowing." Luna scoffed and stood where he was with her arms crossed. "Anyways, carry on."

"Right....so the festival's over and we have no need to be together anymore." Jamil inquired.

"Non, Vil didn't say we're disbanded, we just won't be performing as one again." Rook corrects.

"That's literally what I'm imply-...forget it." Jamil waved off.

"I'm just as surprised when you said you wanted to meet here after classes were done." Kalim says.

"Me too, given that you could've given me more time to get this place together!" Charlie says with gritted teeth.

"First of all, thank you all for coming. Second, I apologize if I informed you last minute, Ugly Duckling, but...it's urgent. Given the circumstances with Grim at the moment, he won't be mentioned in this meeting." Ace and Deuce looked at one another with sadness as Vil picked up, "So, the important thing is this....I wanted to talk about what happened that day....I took your trust and shattered it....I tried to curse my rival when I realized there was no winning against him. Charlotte was right: I am a monster, sinking to the lowest depths possible to achieve something I needed but could NEVER get....."

"...No way...Vil just admitted his mistakes....!" Epel breathed, trying to see if he was hearing him correctly.

"But we saved him before you did any damage." Jamil argued calmly.

"You'd never hurt Neige, even if a strong reason was involved!" Kalim agreed. Rook watched him with keen eyes as Vil disagreed with them.

"But that's because all of you managed to overpower me...and Charlotte had cleansed my dark heart....." Vil shook his head. "And I ended up nearly killing all of you when I went insane...I'd never forgive myself if I had gotten your blood on my hands...we went out there, nearly exhausted to the point of fainting onstage. Even if it was one of our best, it was never enough..."

"That isn't true!" Epel shook his head. "We did amazing!"

"I second that." Deuce spoke up. " We gave our best!"

".....But...that's jut our personal opinion." Ace was adamant.

"ACE!! What the hell?!"

"This was a life or death situation here." Ace said, voice leveled. "Thank god we had Malleus fix everything when he arrived. We had what lasting strength we had til the very end. I agree: we did hella awesome. And it was one of our best, but...."

"....it doesn't mean that the audience would have the same thoughts as us." Jamil caught on to what he was saying. Deuce and Epel shared a look but Vil nods in turn.

"Ace and Jamil are both right: I've rewatched the video of our performance. We didn't show our true potential to the public. Wrong formations at times, shaking limbs and some movements were slow.....after all, I put you through hell and back....this may have been great, but it was never perfect....we weren't in perfect condition and I cost us our victory....if you've anyone to blame, it's me....."

No one said anything as they looked away, the air becoming awkward.

Charlie's hands were fisted at her sides as slowly she walked up to Vil. Her hair shadowed her eyes. But she looked up to see his disappointed face and she became even more foul-mooded.

Her teeth clenched. She felt her hand slowly raising up and out as before she knew it, she slapped Vil hard across his porcelain-like face.

As for the mentioned blonde, his head was forcefully turned to the side as he felt the sting on his cheekbone sharp and quick. His eyes widened, his mouth was open. The other guys were frozen in their spots, having front-row seats to the slap. Sol had a bit of a teeny smile going while Luna remained unchanged with her poker face.

"Che...Cazzo vero....?" Charlie's voice was dangerously low. "Is your head that far up your ass just to keep your eyeliner smudge-free?! You are SO hung up on being a perfectionist that you just don't know when. To. STOP!!!" she knew she started yelling the moment she lost her cool, but it didn't matter to her. All she wanted to do was put Vil in his place. "All your life you just wanted one thing; one huge,  vital and unimportant thing. Well, guess what, bitch: YOU CAN'T HAVE EVERYTHING YOU WANT IN LIFE SINCE IT'S THAT FUCKING UNFAIR!....Some things are just out of our reach and our control, okay? You don't own up to your mistakes and NOW, of all times, you admit that YOU'RE the bad guy after all you did?! Fan-fucking-tastic!" she sarcastically applauded. "Round of applause! And the Oscar goes to THIS BIMBO right here, ladies and gentlemen!" she started to laugh, but stopped when she glared at him. "You've every right to feel guilty not just for trying to kill Neige, but for putting everyone through all that bullshit. And for selling me to Malak and Bierce, who by the way, weren't that difficult to defeat, FYI! But selling your "soul" to two "demons" just for a chance to dethrone your rival is both petty and reckless in its own way!"

".....what she means is....we know what you're trying to say...." Jamil was careful. "...but there was something we talked about during rehearsals. Neige had fans since the start long before the VDC. It would've been impossible for us to give our all no matter the practice. Even if we did, the outcome would still be the same. It'd be hard to win against someone who has a strong following."

"He's right. Please don't pin the blame on yourself, Vil." Kalim smiled sweetly.

"You have a point, but it doesn't mean that we don't have our own hardships to bear." Vil says curtly, silencing the two. "I criticized our performance out of anger, Neige had the air of nostalgia while bringing the audience back to it. Both of that proves he was the real winner. WE had our own plan. I don't think any of you could understand what kind of he puts into, anyways.

"What...are you talking about....?" Epel spoke up.

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"The first film we ever co-starred in....he'd always have the excuse of leaving early due to a list of chores to be done. That's when I suspected: he was someone who didn't want to do work and relied on just talent. But one day...the same dwarves that were with him at the VDC,I found out he lives with...ever since childhood, they've all banded together and supporting one another to this day."

"Wow...since childhood...." Deuce whispered.

"Yes. However, I knew next to little about them." Vil nods. "Chores along with rehearsals, he'd sometime practice late on in the day to make up for lost time. It was like a never-ending cycle. Yet always, he'd greet anyone with his usual smile as if nothing was wrong. I don't know how he does it since I've never lived the life he has...."

"Wow...I never knew...." Epel breathed.

"Although people can seem untouchable and that they're seamlessly perfect, that's not the case for everyone." Charlie said forlornly. "Everyone has weaknesses. Why should Neige be any different? He, like us, goes through trials and tribulations as much as anyone would. And yet we choose to hide the turmoil because we don't want others hurting as much as we ourselves are damaged. So don't think for a second he's unmitigated."

"She's right....Neige never tells the public anything about his past. Yet...Rook, you're his supporter, so surely, you'd know a small factoid?"

"'Tis true." the hunter nods. "Although his smile is like that of a baby bird's chirp, I can tell...he hides a lot behind it. I guess that's why some people are allured by him. He, like Milady, would put others before himself....donations to those in need...."

"...How are you aware of that? Most celebrities don't reveal personal information."

"Those who are true fans will be aware of this."

Vil sighed, knowing what he was implying. "Ah...so he donated all the prize money to special organizations for the needy....for younger generations to find better futures...."

"Man...to have a past you don't want others to know about...." Kalim sighed deeply. It was a long time before Vil sighed and spoke again.

"If any of you knew what he was like before the VDC, his past, would you change your minds about who to vote for? Can you focus without feelings of sympathy?"

"Aside from everyone else, Kalim wouldn't do anything of the sort." Jamil answered.

"That's not true, I just....w-well...now I'm not sure...."

"Yea, well, I still voted for us with zero hesitation." Ace stays true. "The VDC is something that judges performance quality, not who has the saddest backstory."

"Well...at least one of you sees eye to eye." Vil was smug. "You, me, Neige, Charlotte and everyone else in this room, we all have different stories. Result is everything. And not just for the stage, but for the entertainment world as well. We were bested by Royal Sword in the end...I'm still the guilty one. Everything I did had led to our loss....therefore, I will repent for my transgressions."

"And what type of repentance are you getting at?" Charlie raised an eyebrow.

"Remember what the poster said..?"

"Yeah, uh...somethin' bout a professional debut?" Ace shrugged.

"And the 5 Million madol...?" Deuce followed.

"Exactly....and that's why I have summoned all of you. To atone for my shame, I will pay each of you the equal amount of money we would've won from the show." A collective gap swept the room.

"But we can't just-!"

"I insist you take it for my sake and yours." Vil hushed Epel's denial. " 'All the money in the world can't buy you happiness'. I've said it to my agent, and now it's come back to haunt me....ironic, isn't it?...But in all seriousness, I want all of you to see that I'm sincere in my apology by giving you what we've sacrificed for...."

"....Alright." Kalim accepted. "If this is your way of repentance, then sure."

"Kalim?"

"Don't get the wrong idea." Kalim looked to Jamil as he spoke. "I don't fully blame Vil that we lost. But if this is what makes him feel like he owes us, then what have I to lose? Plus....I want to give it all to the Ramshackle Dorm." Everyone looked at him like he just started speaking Polish.

Charlie felt herself beginning to look at him like that as well. "You...You do? Why....?"

"Don't tell me Neige's story swayed you...." Jamil frowns.

"That's not....alright, it's PART of the reason....in actuality, I was just caught off guard by the condition of the dorm during our training. It's totally....dysfunctional!"

'Tell me about it....' Charlie sighed. 'I still can't get some shit in this place to work with me here!'

"To list a few, the water just stops mid-shower, the roof leaks and there's adraft in some parts of the house! No wonder this place lives to it's namesake." Kalim listed subtly.

"You're....actually right about that...." Jamil admitted.

"But thanks to Charlie and the ghosts, we were able to manage quite well! Plus, living somewhere thats's not like what I'm used o is a whole different challenge! So, I'm giving Charlie my share so we can get this place renovated! I feel like she deserves it for all her kindness!"

Charlie blushes. "Oh, Kalim, stop! You're making me blush!"

"Roi D'Or, you're heart truly knows no bounds!" Rook swooned as Jamil sighed,

"As the servant of my master, it's only fitting that I, too, follow his lead. I, too, give my earnings to Charlotte towards fixing the dorm."

"....Vil told me that I'd have to outshine Neige, but I failed in that task...." Epel sighed. "...But because of Charlie's guidance, I...kinda of have a better idea, yet....I still failed to fulfill it...I can't accept the money....Though, I do sympathize with Vil's feelings...I've made my choice: the money, I'll accept, but Charlie should take it for her sake and for the dorm! And just think....Grim would be happy to see that we've made the place more lively!"

Charlie felt close to crying. "Guys....."

"Oh, great! Now look what you've done!" Luna chides the seven. "Charlotte, it's alright. No need to get upset...." she shushes the teenager but the latter smiled,

"I'm crying cuz I'm happy, Luna." she snickers. "I've got too much shit on my shoulders at times, I'll admit, but...somehow they help make my life a little easier now and then."

"Yea, and if they really wanna give us the money to fix this dump, what have we got to lose?" Sol smiled.

"Okay, this is way too wholesome for my taste....." Ace gagged.

Deuce was chewing on his fingernails in thought. "Well....I could use it for my family life back home...on the other hand-"

"Imma take it." Ace spoke up. "It's free, so why the hell not? We got our asses whooped too many times to count, so maybe a new wardrobe could suit me~"

"I-I'm keeping it, too, but...."

"...Dude. Please stop acting like you wanna make a big sacrifice. After all, we wer in thsi for the money, so why have a seizure over it?"

"I'm aware, it's just...."

"You don't have to force yourself to do something you believe is right." Vil spoke with Deuce tongue-tied. "I'm only doing this for you so I can atone for my aggression. I couldn't give you what you wanted so this is to make up for everything I've caused. This is what I had sworn to do. You and Charlotte saved me so this is a token of my gratitude.

Deuce was struggling to think for several seconds, even forgetting to breathe due to holding it to think. But he got air into his lungs and accepts before his skin could turn blue.

"As for myself, as sworn before, I will give my earnings to Milady Charlotte as well." Rook smiles. "The time all of us have spent together is nothing short of precious to me. I couldn't ask for a team better than all of you."

"Charlie, I...I think the money given to us is more than enough for renovations to the max!" Sol had scribbled arithmetic furiously on scratch paper, showing off the dollar range received from the four people. "This place will look better in no time!"

"I declare that roofing needs to be fixed! Then we can move onto the drapes and the wallpapers! Oh yeah! And maybe some new furniture?" Kalim began to list down one by one through memory.

"I think the facilities need the most work." Jamil argued subtly. "Gas and Plumbing, Water, AC, electricity probably....we'll need to work along the lines of budgeting if possible...."

"Well, no matter what Milady decides, I'm sure she will choose beautifully and wisely!" Rook supported. Charlie smiled, barely hearing Ace and Deuce mention what they plan to do with their money: from nice food to coffee, she felt like chuckling. Guess some things were beginning to look up after all....

Suddenly, the whole place around her warped until it's like time had frozen before her. She started to become alarmed. No one was moving, breathing or talking, the sounds of the clock's seconds' hand ticked ever so slowly and vibratingly. "....Huh....? What happened...?! Is this my powers' doing...?! I don't recall having a chrono ability...."

"We don't believe you do." Luna and Sol spoke, scaring Charlie but relieving her as well.

"I thought you guys were stuck frozen like them!"

"Thank god, no." Sol shook her head. "But I guess whatever's going on can't affect us or you. But what...hey, what's that book?" she points behind Charlie, who spun around to catch her Grimoire sailing towards her. The pages fluttered open, flipping to the page where the riddles had shown up as a new one was brazened into the paper.

The Three are collected, but your mission's far from done:
Your power will grow till three are one.
To find what's relevant do not look back;
Use your instincts to stay on the right track.

A God of Death awaits his Revenge
Myth and Legends are like the Stone Hedge
To beat him at his game, think before you act
Jump three steps forward or three steps back?

Use the stones to decode the clue you 'see'
Wallowing in Night, so you will be 'He'
Souls of Torment involve a painful task
'The clue to decode the past' you ask:

Moonstone
Cfka qeb pmbii qexq jrpq yb obxa

SunOpal
Ibpq xii plrip yb cfiiba tfqe aobxa.

Charlie felt her confusion, curiosity, spike. Now the artifacts have secret messages?! What is this: the DaVinci Code?! She was about to ask the sisters what the new riddle was trying to clarify, but time began to warp back to normal speed before the first word left her lips.

"So, uh....with all that said and done, I've got somethin' to ask regarding Neige." Ace raised a hand then points at Rook. "so, Rook: you said you understood where Neige was coming from, so is that why you voted for RSA?"

"Of course not!" the blonde shook his head. "Every word I said that day was the truth. "I just believed their performance was more wonderful than ours.

"Oh really~?" Ace smirked. "And this is coming from someone who's quote on quote, 'his no. 2 hardcore fan' of the Neige fanclub? You were pretty flabbergasted to meet him."

"No, you're wrong." Vil corrects. "Rook was the only one out of the seven of us to critique us in a fair way. And you as well may have noticed it. What we did for the final performance versus our practice runs was completely noticeable."

"Well...I-"

"And don't lie to me." Vil faced the third year. Rook was silent for a few seconds then he smiled wistfully.

"...Oui, you are correct. Since I was placed in the back, I was able to track all of us simultaneously. All the blood, sweat and tears....we never gave in once to the pain! Every time we practiced, it was all unique in it's own way. But through this, I can see why we lost that through the final performance....and that..." the smile fell. "...is why I was saddened. No matter how much I could do, it would never be enough to cover our mistakes. Everyone, like I, held longing physical pain through this whole ordeal. And THAT.....is why I-"

"BUT YOU SAID WE DID GREAT!!!" Epel interrupted him. "As soon as we finished....you said we did amazing!!! Were you just toying with our feelings?!" he tried not to cry, but the more the first year yelled, the closer he would be to breaking down.

"Epel, I-!"

"No, he was truthful about that." Vil defends him, recalling the words Rook spoke once they left the main stage.

"But it wasn't just Vil: It was us all who've shown your best performance yet. I feel proud for standing onstage with everyone. And in Spirit with you, Milady."

"We may have been great, but weren't perfect." Vil looked at Epel who shied away from his gaze. "He saw everything and it was obvious to him what percentage we gave. It was the truth and nothing more. Yet all the same, he couldn't lie to himself when the time to vote arrived. Or am I wrong, Rook?"

"....Roi du Poisson, you always know me like the back of your hand." Rook chuckled.

"That's not true and you know it." Vil rolled his eyes. "You were always so flamboyant the first time we crossed paths. I still remember what you told me when we met the first time: 'I believe I aw you around. And, dare I say, I believe to know whom you are..." Suddenly, something akin to the sound of crashing resounded from outside. Everyone froze.

"What the hell was that sound?!" Charlie got to her feet immediately and ran for the windows.

"Don't tell me its an earthquake!" Epel cowered.

"....No...I fear it's something worse..." Rook got on edge as Charlie tensed. Everyone followed after her.

"What is that?!" Kalim uttered. Something was up in the sky, high over the school. The protective shield surrounding the school was beginning to flicker as something began bashing at it, eventually starting to crack and give away.

"Whoever's doing this, They're trying to break in!" Charlie squinted. "Look: the barrier's beginning to give out!"

"The protective dome is suppose to prevent any outsiders from getting in!" Vil recalled.

"Why are they even trying to get in?!" Jamil demands. "Are they after-?!"

"Everyone down!!" Luna screams as she throws herself at Ace, Deuce and Epel to the floor.

"Why? What's going on?!"

"No time for questions!" Luna did the same to the other four as Sol stands and shields Charlie.

"Get ready!!"

"For what?!" Epel asked when the roof of the dorm explodes in a mess of broken wood and glass.

"Shit!! Not the dorm!!!" Charlie yelled over the chaos as they ducked and covered their heads.

"I think we're under attack?!" Deuce screamed as he tried to cover Epel.

"Ugh! Jesus, what's going on?!" Ace coughed trying not to inhale the dust as it began to clear

"Charlotte?! Are you okay?!" Deuce yells and he spotted her crawling towards him.

"Yea, but That explosion was hella massive! How'd we even survive?!" Charlie sat up. She looked up only to see Sol and Luna both joining hands and materializing a powerful blue dome-like barrier above themselves and the other eight.

"Whoa...." Kalim breathed.

"Don't lose focus just yet!" Luna ordered. "They're here!"

"Who?!" Ace asked. On cue, three giant mechanical robots walked forward. They had blue and dark grey armor shaped in a rather complex design and carried long oar-like spears with them as they walked through the gaping hole of the ramshackle dorm wall.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

"Kalim, stay behind me!" Jamil pushed his master behind him protectively. "I've never seen these kinds of intruders before....who are they?!" he demands.

"This is Team Hepta Subjects D and E have been spotted." one android said into a small intercom at his wrist. "Commencing capture immediately."

"Whoever they are, they've a lot of nerve for breaking and entering into someone's property!" Vil stood his ground. "As leader of Pomefiore, those under my jurisdiction: use your magic to drive these intruders away!"

"OUI!" Rook nods.

"Scarabia will stand alongside!" Kalim confirms, Jamil following.

"First years, stand down!" Vil spoke. "But contact your leader at Heartslabyul while we deal with them!"

"You got it!" Ace was shaky as Deuce and Epel strayed back while Charlie stood up.

"You guys are gonna need me!" Charlie shifted into her newfound battle attire, the wings glistened as she transformed. "My enchantments will support you, but if things goes wrong, I won't hesitate to take them down!"

"Charlotte, we can't let you fight them!" Luna denied.

"There's no time, Luna! Just keep the others safe! I've got this!" Charlie shook her head as the two did as told and moved behind her to keep the four safe, but were on guard as they dropped the shield.

"The subjects intend to resist; we will deploys Plan C: Capture."

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"Raise enhance: Deus Corona! Now Go!!!" Charlie summons, raising the bar of strength as the four before her fired several magic bolts at their enemy simultaneously like machine guns. Charlie could feel Fawkes pressing against her skin as he hid in her ponytail, the small flames he was giving off warmed her, but right now she had to focus on helping the others.

"I've never seen Vil this angry...." Epel quivered.

"Even if they're going all out, it barely affect the guards!" Deue kept protective watch. True to his word, even with Charlie enchanting them, the four are being pushed back by how their magic doesn't affect the intruders.

It wasn't before long did they begin to wane. 'Okay, now I have to!' Charlie saw them. "Exaggero Catenas!" the Vorpal Blade was in her hand as she ran forward, screaming murder.

"Charlotte, no!!!" Luna tried to stop her but Charlie wasn't going to listen to reason. This was her home and she HAD to protect it! The guards blocked her slashes and tried to hit her, but her fast reflexes were too much for them to keep up. She went to stab one, but the oar the guard was holding knocked her weapon out of her hand and sent it flying into the wall. Deuce ducked as the blade lodged itself into the wood where his head was hovering before moments ago.

"My blade!!!" Charlie, caught off, barely had time to use her arms to upper block the oar that was about to smash into her. She struggled to keep it above her head, but the robot guard was not giving in either.

"Stand down or face the consequences." the guard spoke to her as he applied more pressure to his weapon. Charlie felt her forearms beginning to hurt. She needed to regroup with the others before it got too out of hand. Without thinking, she swung her leg up high and used her Front-Side double kick combo to knock back one, the front kick striking the robot's legs and the side hitting the sternum, who was caught off by such a move and he crashed into the other two as a result of the kick attack. Once he was away from her, she leapt back to try and get to the others, whom by now had themselves pressed against the wall, out of shock seeing how she was capable of holding her own against three monstrous robots.

Suddenly, she was struck by another guard's oar, whose attack began to ensnare Charlie in magic chains. She wriggled on the ground as she was bound and gagged against her will.

"Charlie!!!" Epel screamed as the guards began to walk towards them. She looked up hopelessly from her spot as she saw the intruders approach the guys.

"Now we will enable Plan C upon both subjects."

"No you will not!" Luna snarled as she and Sol stood in front of the guys protectively.

"Stand down or face the consequences!" the guards enforced. But an anger-induced scream from Charlie was heard as she broke the chains like nothing, backflipping away onto her feet as she raised her head to glare down at the guards with a snarl. But this was not the same girl the boys were expecting. The ends of her ponytail now began to sport an ombre of platinum silver. But that wasn't the only noticeable change. Kalim gasped as he saw something hauntingly familiar. 

"Oh no...! Rook, her eyes-!" he gasped. Charlie's eyes were now same bright and blood-red color as before, but now the whites of her eyes were now teal-blue and matching markings paint under her eyes and neck, scrawling up to her cheekbones. The guards turned their attention back to her.

"Unknown subject is deemed a threat. We will terminate her immediately."

"You damn Maggots!!!!" she screeched as she flew forward, fist outstretched as she tore through one of the robots like it was just paper, a huge chunk of its armor and body was torn by her own two hands as it fell forward to the ground, shorting out in a matter of seconds. But she was far from done.

"Threat is hostile! Threat is hosti-!" The guards tried to communicate with someone, but stopped when something hit its body. The robot looked down to see Charlie's hand was plunged into its chest cavity. He didn't have time to react as she ripped out a huge mass of wires and circuits, repeating the same to the third guard as she send them both flying out the windows with her own two hands. They crashed onto the ground, twitching before falling lifelessly.

She was breathing heavily as the boys looked on, in complete silent shock at the display of power.

"Oh my god...!" Deuce breathed helplessly.

"Holy shit!" Ace was chuckling with a nervous grin. But that only caught Charlie's attention as she turned her blood thirsty gaze at them. They froze as she staggered towards them, dropping the mass of torn out wires and metal in her hands.

"H...Huh?!" Epel scooted away from her. "What's going on with her?! Doesn't she recognize us?!"

"Judging by the look on her face, I'd say not...." Vil quivered as she took another step to them. But just as she was about to reach them-

"Charlotte, stop!" Luna stood away from her, grabbing the girl's attention. "This is not like you!" her voice was wavering as she spoke. "The enemy is down-!"

"Then I'll settle for you!!" Charlie roared as she began to scratch and claw at Luna, the latter of which blocked each of her attacks with ease, but couldn't keep up with her speed and found herself starting to falter. But just as Charlie was about to strike her-

"Charlie, stop it!!!" Epel held her back by using an underarm lock technique she taught him during training.

"Epel!!!" Deuce yelled. Charlie struggled to get out of his hold but he stayed firm.

"Charlie, please! Calm down! We're not your enemy!" Epel said in a calming tone. "Just breathe....listen to me....we're your friends....!" Charlie's eyes widened as she looked at Epel in realization and her arms dropped, who smiled. He guessed that talking to her would try and reach her.

But it didn't last long as she wrenched her arm out of his hold and elbowed him in the face. He yelped as he felt the sting from the jab.

"Epel!!!" Deuce dove to shield him as Charlie screamed, ready to land another blow.

"No!" Sol restrained Charlie as she held a white cloth over the girl's mouth and nose. Charlie breathed in the fumes she felt herself starting to slip out of consciousness before falling forward, unresponsive. "...It's alright. She's unconscious!" she nods for the guys to come forward, albeit nervously. Sol had a tight but gentle hold on the girl as Deuce ran forward to her.

"Charlie!! Charlie!!!" he was shaking her. "Sol...you didn't try to poison her or anything, did you?"

"No. My sister and I have concocted a special sedative for magicians who step out of line in battle if they go too power crazy. I don't need to use it unless it's dire." Sol answered. She sighed, "Epel, that was completely reckless and dangerous what you just did!" she glared at the first year. "She could've killed you!...and yet, you were so brave, handling her when she was close to killing anyone else...."

"I...I just wanted to try and reach her and see why she was acting like this!" Epel confessed as he looked at Charlie.

"Yea, what happened?! I know Charlie's strong but this was crazy!" Kalim answered. "What happened? It's like something just snapped and she went Beast mode!"

"And I think her rampage just so proves it..." Jamil nudged the first robot that was taken out by her with his foot.

Luna carefully began to remove the spell over Charlotte as Sol looked at each of them. "We're just as shocked as any of you are. This is no feat of power that I've ever seen before. But....I think this may have to do with-" a groan of pain sounded from Charlie as she tried to wake up. Her hair reverted back to its one tone of brown and the markings on her face vanished. Her eyes had fluttered open to see they had gone back to white sclera and amber eyes.

"Hey, look whose back!" Ace smiled as she opened her eyes fully.

"W.....What....what hap-" but something from outside made everyone's relief turn tense as the two guards taken out from before staggered back to their feet.

"HUH?! That can't be! I thought she-?!" Ace was flabergasted.

"That doesn't matter! We must protect the dorm and Charlotte!" Vil stood in front of the group.

"No-!...I..I can still help-!"

"No way! You've already done enough!" Ace shushed as he, Deuce and Epel guard her.

"He's right, you're in no condition to fight, Charlie!" Sol hushed. "You need to leave it to the others!" She shields Charlie as the remaining two robots staggered towards them, despite the large gashes in their chests and stomachs. The first raised his oar and blasted a stream of electric blue lightning, which immediately hit Vil, who screamed in pain and fell backwards, already knocked out.

"Vil!" Rook ran to his side.

"Subj-je-ect E-E has-s be-en det-tain-ned...." the robot's voice glitched as it spoke, the voice box highly damaged from Charlie's severe beat down. The second raised its oar and repeated the same action at Jamil, whom Kalim immediately caught before he hit the ground.

"Jamil!!!"

"Subj-je-ect D has-s be-en det-tain-ned....head-din-ng t-to mai-in offic-ce wi-ith Tea-am T-Tetr-ra."

"You're not taking them anywhere!" Kalim snapped. But another fleet of robots began to move in, one of which began to scoop up the remains of the trashed bot.

"Team Tetra has arrived." the leader announced.

"H-Hey, guys....." Epel's voice was shaking. "What's that....in the cage they've got....?"

"Damn it, let me out!! I said let me outta here!!!" A small furry body hit the metal with his shoulder in an attempt to break out. Charlie's eyes widened as she heard who it was.

"G-Grim...!!!" her voice cracked, her voice strained with physical pain, as she weakly lifted her arm towards him, desperate to reach him. He heard her and got teary eyed.

"Ah! Charlie! Ace! Deuce!" He reached his paw through the metal bars as he reached back to her.

"The task is finished. We are heading back now."

"No!! We need to stop them!!" Epel stood up.

"Hang on, Grim! We're coming for you!!" Deuce shouts.

"We can't just-...ugh, fuck it!" Ace relents and follows after them.

"No....guys....!" Charlie croaked as she slipped out of consciousness. She barely heard Luna and Sol as she faded away.
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[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

I felt like I was floating. Again.

But something was.....really off.

All I remembered were these weird androids busting into the dorm and trying to go after some of us.....one of them had tied me up, and then.....I saw red....I wasn't in control....just like....

Oh no.....

It happened again! Pomefiore....I lost my mind and-

Wait, was that someone whispering?

I tried to open my eyes. I had to see what was there. But I can't. I couldn't, more like it.

"He....Hello....?" I wet my lips as I tried to speak. "Where...am I...?"

"You are in our domain, Little Princess~!" Three voices spoke as one. How I was able to hear them all without the overlap, I had no clue.....

"Charlotte Luchessi~?"

"You....you know who I am...?"

"Of course. And We knew you'd arrive."

"We know everything!"

"Past..."

"...present..."

"And future!"

Freaky....but....okay....

"Why....am I here....?" Was all I Could utter. "Wait....You must be the fates....from Greek Mythology....and that must mean...."

They let me put the pieces together.

"This could go about many ways: you're either here regarding my third eye, and...Idia's the next one to fall...."

"All that....and more....." one spoke. "And we have placed a spell over your eyes so that you can learn to rely on your other senses, not the others."

"....if....you say so." I instantly felt bony hands touching my cheeks. They felt cold, wrinkly, maybe a bit calloused. If my eyes were still working they'd be the size of dinner plates right about now. The hands prod at my cheeks, squished them, hell a few of them fingers opened my blind AF eyes! Or on second though....no not blind. It's like I got eye numbing drops from the optometrist and I can't see shit out of my eyes, even though I know they're working.

"Ah....the eyes of starlight...." A second voice whispers as my eyes ups were shut.

"She has her mother's features....." the third whispered. "I'm sure some of her father's traits are in her blood."

I gasped. My parents....they know my parents?!

"A long war......"

"Taken into hiding....!"

"Born with the power of the three bodies of light~."

"A king without a crown..."

"The Fallen Sparx.....!"

"To bend the will of darkness is to purge this world with light~!"

"I-I'm sorry but....what are you-?"

"You said you want to know about the past, didn't you~?" The voices hiss airily.

"Yes!!!" I felt my voice shaking. "I-I do, I want to! There's....more questions than answers and this gift, if it even is one....I have no control over it....I need to find out what my purpose is in this world and what's being hidden from me.... I can't control it....it won't show me what I need to see. I can only rely on my gut to know if something bad could happen! There's so much of the past that I have to find out about!...."

What the hell were they even talking about?! A war? King without a crown? Does this have to do with me?...I don't think it does...

"Three pearls." The first voice spoke. "Precognition: Clairvoyance and Retrocognition. These will guide you on your mission. The first to see to the future and what is at stake, damnation to the dark ones whose coals will rake." A small pearl with the balance of black and white I could see.

"The second of power you will extent to beyond!" The second chimed. "Care for this one as it won't be far long. The third and final, treasures of mortal sin: Don't get played by the eyes within." A blue pearl appeared next then the third was bright yellow. The three vanished in light.

"These pearls we give are your power to hone. Feel it, don't see it, down in your bones!" The voices of the fates blended as one. "Do not push their powers or the ramifications will come. And in time you will see what must be done!"

The cackles of the fates began to echo as I tried to block out the noises. I could feel something sinking into my chests like a weight! It hurt! What was going on?!

Stop it....stop it, please!!! It hurts!!

It hurts....no more.....!
——————————

Charlie felt herself awakening to the Ramshackle Dorm still in shambles.

But there was something else that only made her more worried....

"Ugh...-damn, they're too powerful...." Ace grit his teeth as he clutched his shoulder in pain. "How'd she....manage to destroy one of these...?!" He fell to the ground in defeat as Deuce and Epel also fell beside him, already drained.

"N-No....guys...." Charlie whispers as she tried to reach out her hand for them.

"Fucking hell! I said I ain't goin!!!" Grim rattled the bars as he cried, reaching out to the guys and Charlie, who was too weak to respond back. "Charlie!!!!" He screamed as he was taken away.

"Grim.....no!" she breathed as she finally bit the dust.

"VIL!! JAMIL!!!!" Kalim ran after the others as they too were carried away.

Rook bared his teeth as he saw Vil being whisked away but held himself back as he spoke to Kalim. "Kalim! We need to get the others to the infirmary...and fast!"

"But...But Jamil, he's-!"

"Snap out of it!" Luna slapped him. "This is not the time to be worried about him!"

"Luna is right." Sol said in a controlled voice. "Charlie and the others are our main priority. And you have to take up the mantle as dorm leader, so do your duty!"

"....R-right...but we need to get to the others before-"

"It's no use...." Ace wheezed. "I...tried to call Riddle...but he's not picking up!" he passed out, leaving the other four worried for the others.

"Wait...you don't think-!"

"We'll discuss later. Grab the other boys!" Luna urged them as he lugged up Ace. Kalim carried Epel as Deuce was carried by Rook. Luna looked back to check on her sister who was carrying Charlie over her shoulder to another place.

"Go! I'll heal Charlie." Sol nods. Luna nods back, reluctantly, to her as Rook led the way to the infirmary. 'I hope the others will be fine....' Sol thought doubtfully but hurried to get Charlie somewhere safe and sound as a few rotten planks of wood from the busted wall fell, sending a plume of dust and wood chips into the air.
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YOOOOO this first chapter went from 0-100, y'all and this is only the FIRST update! TWST is REALLY upping the bar here!

And yea, I know I'm late getting this out, but I've CLEARLY been busy the past few months, but here it is. Now to get the next one done.

Anyhoo, to celebrate, he's more fanart from Tumblr!

One chibi drawing of Charlie done by @junowritings

One portrait/waist up by @stestylius

And a second chibi sprite done by my tumblr friend
@nuitthegoddess

And another waist up drawing from my friend
@kitty-is-calling!

And one battle sprite of our Light Princess's battle form by @just-an-otaku's-blog!

Thanks for reading. Let's see how this arc transpires~....