Hunting Season pt7

Instructions

People were extra annoying today. Deuce wanted to punch them SO badly, but everything he vowed kept him in check. He definitely expelled a little too much magic while flying; he could feel the sluggish slide of blot through his chest and transferring to his magestone. Eugh. All the first-years shared almost every class, with a few mixed with the second-years (a.k.a his housewarden…) Funny enough, Ortho and Deuce shared literally every class together. The soft hum of Ortho’s inner workings grounded him, and the little robot’s cheerful voice kept any other thoughts at bay. “...so I told nii-san, ‘Come on! You promised me you’d attend at least TWO classes today!’ and he was all like ‘Ugh, that was yesterday!’, and so I said-” Ortho rambled, talking about his struggles with getting Idia to socialize, before Deuce interrupted. “Hey, I don’t mean to interrupt, but I’m gonna head back to Heartslabyul for free period. You should go check on your brother.” Ortho’s yellow eyes dimmed the slightest bit before he perked back up. “Okay! Let me know if you need help with homework!” he said gleefully. Everyone went to Ortho for help with homework, since he was basically a glorified search engine. Deuce didn’t think of him that way, especially after how he helped with Malleus’s overblot. That Cerberus gear was…mildly terrifying. Deuce didn’t have much time to dwell back on the past before someone barrelled into him. Just from the weight and force of impact he could tell it was Epel. “ ‘lright, now when were ya gon’ tell me ya started being wit’ Ace?” he pouted, punching Deuce’s shoulder (he had to punch upwards…Deuce stifled a laugh). “Heh, sorry! It’s still new to me, too,” the spade laughed. “Ah hadda find out from Rook! Y’know how much yer left out when ya gotta hear it from Rook?” the feminine boy rambled. “ ‘nd ya’ve been t’gether for what, a month now? Ah thought we were buds!” “We are, just…didn’t know when to tell you,” Deuce admitted. He remembered a piece of blackmail he held on Epel. “And when were YOU going to tell ME that you’re with Jack, hm?” Epel’s whole face flushed. “N-now how’d ya find that out-? AH MEAN- uh- who lied t’ya?” He tried his best to lie, but Deuce grinned. Banter with Epel always cheered him up. “Oh, a certain Cheshire told me,” Deuce exaggerated his words, lacing them with sugar sweeter than the cubes they put in tea. Che’nya occasionally came in handy, especially when it came to gossip. Cater, Deuce, and Ace would sit with him while he yapped about whatever was new at Royal Sword Academy and what he saw while invisibly making his way through the halls of Night Raven College. He had beckoned the group to lean in close before whispering, “I saw that little purple boy and the big wolf guy flirting.” He leaned back and squealed loudly, enough for Riddle to throw a flower at his head. “W-well, that stupid cat’s lying! Me ‘n Jack ‘re NOT ah thing!” Epel’s face kept getting redder by the second. It was moments like these when Deuce could see why Epel was sorted into Pomefiore. “Artemiy said otherwise~!” a voice behind Deuce singsonged. Ace draped themself over Deuce’s shoulders like a scarf. “Hi, love.” Deuce ruffled Ace’s hair before pulling them closer by the waist. “See? I’ve got backup!” Deuce laughed. “2 versus 1, we win.” Epel growled. “Fine! Ah’ll tell ya! We’re ah thing! Ya happy now?” he barked, covering his face with his hands. “Very,” Ace smirked. “What is the meaning of this?!” A sharp, familiar voice echoed down the corridor. Ace and Deuce instantly snapped into place. Riddle Rosehearts, rule enforcer extraordinaire. Riddle marched up behind his students. “Why are we hanging about in the halls, hm? This is not how you spend a free period! In addition, you are in flagrant violation of Queen of Hearts Rule 186: One must never loiter for more than three minutes after the bell has tolled!” Epel attempted sneaking away while Ace and Deuce were being berated, but Riddle’s big grey eyes caught the movement. “You! Don’t you move an inch! Do you think Housewarden Schoenheit would approve of you spending your free period so unproductively?” “No, sir,” Epel said softly in the voice Vil forced him to use. “Unless you would like me to tell your housewarden of your whereabouts, I suggest taking a bench in the courtyard and studying.” Riddle hissed. He grabbed Ace and Deuce’s ears and yanked them down, dragging them to Heartslabyul. The height difference made the first years stumble a bit. Ace waved. “See ya in an – ow! – hour!” Ace called. Epel dazedly waved back. ~~ In Ignihyde… ~~ “Whee hee hee…” Idia cackled at his monitors. He managed to hack NRC’s security cameras at the beginning of his sophomore year and used it to his leisure even as a junior. He watched the whole exchange of Riddle yelling at his underclassman. Headphones over his ears, he didn’t hear his door open and Ortho flying in. “Nii-san!” Ortho scolded, taking off Idia’s headphones. (+)