~~

"We've got three days. There's no time to waste."

....

"It's like being chased by sharks! Swimming that fast is a low blow!"

.....

"I said 'use your noggin'. You need to use your pretty lil head to overpower those stronger than you."

.....

"What?! Sneak into the Mostro Lounge and destroy the contract?! That's cool! But that's a bit sneaky isn't it?"

.....

Charlie tensed. It's Azul!

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Charlie and the guys held their breaths as they watch Azul approach the vault. He tapped away at a few buttons, and produced a ring of keys. Twisting the lock, the vault creaked open.

And there, in the center of the space, was the golden contract they have been looking for.

"There's the contract we signed." Deuce nodded.

"So he DOES lock them in the vault." Ace said hushed.

Azul's eyes scanned over the parchment. "1...2...3..." he smiled.

"This jerk's counting the contracts like money with that stupid smile of his!" Grim seethed.

"He's a sly one with that filthy job..." Jack murmured.

"Hmm, it's best I return..." Azul nodded, before closing and locking up the vault. His footsteps sounded as he opened the door and left.

Without a second thought, they trampled out of their claustrophobic space, sighing in relief at not getting caught.

"We nearly got spotted...." Grim shakes.

"But look: he's left the contract on the table!" Jack eyes the paper.

"What? Jackpot! Now, let's get the hell out of here and rip the sucker up!" Axe cheered.

"Looks like Azul is more dumber than I thought..." Grim smirked. "And now..." they approached the paper. All but one.

Her third eye flashed a picture by her eyes: Sparks and electricity shooting out and shocking them.

"Guys, don't touch that!" Charlie tried to stop them. But it was too late. Streams of lightning electrocuted them.

They jolted in shock and screamed.

"Whwhwhat the hell?! I-I feel all jittery!" Grim fell to the floor and the others followed.

"I tried to warn them...." she muttered in defeat.

But out of nowhere, a purple bolt of energy struck her, and she cried out in pain. She landed harshly against the wall and slid to the ground. She tried to get up, but found both her wrists tied behind her back and around her arms by glowing purple binds.

"What the-?!"

Suddenly someone busted out laughing.

"Well, well. You seem to be shaking like you were attacked by electric eels~. Quite unsightly, I must say..."

Charlie looked up. There stood Azul and the twins with smug smiles.

"You assholes...knew we were here?!" Jack growled, straining to sit up.

"But of course. That fluffy tail of yours was obviously in full view from under the desk. So you tried to steal the contract, but there's a spell on that electrocutes anyone besides me who touches it. Too bad for you~."

"Y-you go that far?!" Ace looked at him like he was a mad scientist.

"As I said: the contracts are impossible to break."

"AhahaHahaha~! These guys are totals idiots! Why bother coming back even if you're aware of the outcome~?" Floyd taunted.

"Floyd, it's best if you don't laugh at their misery. We can't help that their so narrow-minded." Jade smiles cruelly.

Charlie sneered at them in disgust.

"Oh? What's the matter, Little Lotte?" Azul walked up to her, kneeling so he was eye level to her. "Caught in a bind?" He joked.

"G-get away from her!" Deuce snarled.

"You know this would just be easy if you did one thing." Azul ignores the first year.

"And what is that?" She spat at him. He stared down at her, tilting her head up to face him, and he moved his face closer so it was just an inch to hers. His eyes never left hers as he whispered,

"Be my servant."

Her eyes suddenly were full of fear. "What?!" She whispered, trying to hear him right.

"You heard me. It be easier if you just give in and give me what is rightfully mine: your friends,-" he looked to the ones with anemones. "-the Ramshackle Dorm, and especially....YOU."

The way he said that sent her quivering in his grasp. And Charlie felt, for the first time, she felt....

Fear.

Now, I know what you're thinking. Yes she's encountered fear before: with Riddle and Leona. But now that the two held respect for her and are starting to get on better terms, Azul was much different. There was something eerily dark about him they both excited her and made her fear him.

And she didn't like it.

Her eyes brows creased in fury, and without thinking, she hacked a loogie in his face. He recoiled in disgust, frantically wiping her spit from his face, giving her enough time to struggle and get to her feet when he was at a clear distance from her.

"Like hell I'll be your little slave!" She roared. "I belong to no one! Not even the likes of a slimy bastard like you! And if you think for a second I'm just going to give in like that for the sake of defeat, you're dead wrong! As Luchessi blood, we NEVER lose to our enemies! You underestimate me as much as anyone else in the school; but I'm different! You've NO idea what I'm capable of! So !"

Ace, Deuce, Jack and Grim stared at Charlie with complete surprise. Most the time, Charlie would get a bit peeved (at their actions), but this was the first time they've ever seen Charlie's true anger surface. And they've never been more respectful yet terrified of a woman standing before the Octavinelle trio, in full defiance, daring to challenge Azul Ashengrotto, of all the Dorm leaders, here and now.

"Is that so?" Azul scowled at her. "Maybe the binds on your arms say otherwise, my dear." His cruel smile came back as he snapped his fingers.

Suddenly, Charlie felt her arms and limbs start to twist in dislocating ways. She held back her screams of pain, clenching her teeth, as the purple binds started to constrict around her torso. Although she choked on her voice, her face showed her true feeling.

She cried between her teeth feeling like her rib cage would crush and shatter. Falling to her knees, she tried coping with the pain. She could barely hear the others over her own whimpers.

"Charlie!!"

"Leave her alone!"

"D-damn you!"

She felt tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She did what she could to turn away and hold them back.

"What the matter, Lotte? Where'd all that spark of rebelliousness go? Snuffed it out all of a sudden?" Azul laughed mercilessly, watching her wriggle in pain.

Between her clenched teeth, she managed to say, "You know....I feel sorry for you..."

This caught the silver-haired male's attention.

"And yet...I don't!" She struggled to her feet. "You may say you're all high and mighty.... offering people their chances for dreams become a reality....Maybe you had yours but they were stolen from you.....that's when you decided to snap! You want to prove to others that they were wrong about you.... but no matter how much you persuade..... no matter how much you use that sharp tongue of yours..... you're nothing..... and you'll always be nothing but a fucking coward!"

At the last sentence, Charlie let out a scream of rage, and broke the binds around her like they were weak rubber bands, falling at her feet.

The trio gaped at her in surprise. The binds were strong! How was she able to break out of them so easily?!

She stood before them, breathing heavily. Before saying another word, she moans softly in pain, and fell.

"Charlie!!" Jack dove and caught her just before she had a chance to hit the ground. He called her name softly to make sure she was still conscious.

"Ngh....Jack?" He sighed in relief.

"Thank god... don't do something like that again!" He chided, but all she did was smile.

"Yea...hey, I'm gonna tap out on this one. Can you guys handle the rest...?"

"Sure." He propped up against the wall as comfortably as possible. When she was situated, he joined the others. "We'll slaughter these assholes for you."

"Hmph. Those who try and steal what doesn't belong to them deserve to be punished."

"We'll have to teach them a lesson so that they learn never to pull something like this again."

"Who's ready for a good old fashion squeezing~?!"

"Here they come!"

—————————

The three were tired after several minutes of fighting. Charlie watched helplessly as the others fought for her while she regained her strength back.

Jack huffed, "Shit...are dorm leaders always this strong?"

"If you can't handle this, then pilfering the contract is out of the question."

"You can still hurry to the museum~!"

"The time limit is until sunset tomorrow. There isn't much left."

"Or rest up in the infirmary after this, but times ticking~!"

"We'll win for sure!" Deuce stood in front of Charlie protectively.

"I'm probably no good at summoning magic but, come forth cauldron!" Ace commanded.

"What the-?! Don't just copy me!!" Deuce said as the cauldron was flung.

"Are you that slow? That won't hurt me~! Bind the Heart~!"

The cauldron sailed over their heads and smashed into the vault.

"Floyd! Watch where you're aiming your spell!" Azul yelled at him. "Who does that anyway?!"

"Whoops! Sorry~!"

"Agh! There's a scratch on the door! What if the dials and hinges are broken?!" Azul ran for the vault. Checking, he sighed. "They're good." Then he turned a stink eye towards Floyd. "I keep telling you to stop throwing around your magic without thinking! How many times must I scold you?!"

"I said 'sorry'! You don't have to get so pissed over a tiny scratch!"

"Well, what if it doesn't work anymore?!"

"Both of you, please calm down. Or they'll escape." Jade stopped them.

Azul and Floyd froze.

"And that's our cue! See ya, suckers!!!" Grim stuck his tongue out at the group zoomed away.

"Agh! They're escaping! Stop them!" But neither of them moved.

"You made me upset, and now I'm staying in this bad mood..." Floyd pouts.

"Is this really the time and place for that?! Why are you so damn moody?!" Azul griped.

"And why are you so prickly? It's fine if the vault breaks; the contacts are invincible, right?" Floyd recounted.

"Are you telling me it's best if I carry those contracts wherever I walk?!" Azul clenched his hands. Before he could say another word, he stopped and recollected himself. "This won't do at all... I just lost my composure there when fighting with him. God....Jade, keep a sharp eye on Lotte and the others....and don't neglect Floyd's protection."

"As you wish." Jade accepted.

"Ugh....I'm dead beat. No afternoon classes for me. I'm gonna go get shuteye somewhere..." Floyd yawned as Jade sighed at his brother's state of mind.

——————————

The group hightailed through the portal and back into the mirror hall.

"That was crazy..." Deuce breathed as he set Charlie down off of his back.

"Yea, cuz Jack gave away our position!" Ace accused.

"Don't look at me.... it's just that I'm bulkier than the rest of you." he defended. "That, and wolves tend to be taller."

"Charlie, you okay?" Deuce asked her.

"Despite the sting in my arms....I should be good." She nods. Deuce nodded back.

"Now we know: touching or destroying the contracts are out of the question..."

"I guess that's all we can do for today."

"We wasted a whole day..." Grim frowned.

"Is there even a way...?" Ace murmured.

Charlie stayed silent, as she tried not to move her arms so roughly. She could still feel the binds across her, tightening further and further to the point where she would've likely been crushed.

She'll need to heal herself. And there's only one day more before everything is lost...

'What am I going to do...?'

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Throughout the rest the day, I felt like my arms were made of Jello. I stopped by the infirmary to quickly get my arms healed, but I still feel the sting in my bones.

" '...will trouble you to make your ploys'..... 'The deeper you go take several tries....' yea, you're of help..." I scowl and throw the Grimoire onto my makeshift bed and run out of the room. No one was in Savanaclaw at the moment, so no one bothered to stop me. I ran all the way from the dorm, to the portal, through the mirror hall, and out of the school doors. I didn't look up at where I was heading, until I felt a cold breeze. When I looked up. I saw I was right by the Ramshackle Dorm. The lights were on inside, giving it a bit of a homely glow.

"Looks like I came back out of habit..." I smile sadly. "But I've one last day and then say my farewells to the place...." I hugged myself.

Out of nowhere, green fireflies started to fly around the area. "Hm? Why are there...?"

"Hm, is that...?" I turned at the voice. It was him!

"Tsunotaro..." I said without thinking.

"Hm? Tsunotaro? Are you talking to me?"

I smiled, "Of course! You said I can call you whatever I wanted. And I chose that....And 'Principe Oscuro'..."

He stared at me for a moment, and then started to laugh. Not mockingly, but more of a warm-hearted type.

"Unbelievable...Tsunotaro...you really show no fear, do you?" He asked, approaching me.

By the time he stood next to me, I couldn't help but look up. Holy crap he was tall, maybe a bit taller than the Leeches and Jack....but still tall nonetheless.

"It's alright. I'm the one who told you to call me whatever you wished. You're the only one who may call me those weird names." I nodded silently. "Also, this building has been quite noisy as of late.... are there any other residents besides you?" He asked me.

"Oh! Uh, that's the thing..." I said awkwardly. I explained what the deal was, and by the time I finished, he was silent.

"Oh? A deal with Ashengrotto? I see now..." he nods. "Then after tomorrow, this place will belong to him. And be a new place for students to meet." He looks at the place longingly. I frowned. "And the way you pout says you don't want that to happen. Do you not enjoy talking like you've already lost?"

I didn't answer him. Just staring at the Ramshackle dorm, like I pretended it was still mine. Where I could talk with the ghostly trio, help Grim, and be free in a place that was all my own.

It wasn't my true home, but it was still home nonetheless...

Malleus seemed to sense my unwavering hope. "Did you know, the walls of this dorm have some majestic gargoyle carvings on them?"

"Hm?" I looked at him. He looked back at me. "You mean...the statues around the perimeter?" I pointed out. He nods.

"They may appear as monstrous carvings with a sinister appearance at first glance, but they're actually a gutter system made so that the rain water doesn't damage the walls. They do seem terrifying....but they're something that dearly cares for their home."

'It must be an allusion between looks and the role....' I thought.

"There's many times when what you see is the exact opposite of reality. I'd also like this place to not be so rambunctious every night." He started to walk away. But before he could take one last step, he turned and gave me a wistful smile. "Struggle with all your will, and prove you can defend this domain. Oh yes: and a little something for your pain." He waved his hand and I felt my arms become less weakened. And he disappeared as before.

I stood there, wondering what he just said. "So expectations and reality and opposites...?"

——————————

By the time she made it back to Savanaclaw, her arms felt as good as new! Whatever Tsunotaro did, Charlie feel like the pain had ebbed away slowly but surely.

But then Ruggie popped up and told her she had work to do.

Shit.

"Your task is to make sure Leona's room is clean." Ruggie instructed. Charlie looked around the room in mild disgust. Clothes strewn across the floor, disorganization in spots here and there, and for a second, she completely forgot that the room smelled like musty cologne with natural earth.

She cringed. She thought Shawn's room was bad, but this....

"Hey. You gotta keep your part of the bargain." Leona reminded her with a smirk, though not as half-assed as usual. Or maybe it was more half-assed than before...

"First, Azul....and now, Leona....worked to death by two Dorm heads...my feet are killin' me already..." Grim whined.

"First: try and get rid of all the clothes strewn over into the laundry basket. Then, reorganize the stuff in his desk." Ruggie stood by the desk, point out everything she was to do: accessories in one drawer, books in the case, and once it's all clean, dust everything down with a cleaning rag.

Charlie nodded absentmindedly, and Grim just gripes, "You're the adult around here so why can't you deal with it?"

"Hm? You say somethin, mongrel?" Leona hovered over the small creature, eyes shooting daggers, having caught wind of his remark. Grim recoiled back, scared.

"Eep! No, not at all!" He zipped over to a bundle of clothes and started shoving them all into one dirty pile. Then, jumped to the desk. "Time to get this crappy desk spick and....hm?!" His eyes widened. "There's so much expensive stuff lying around! His wallet too!" Then, a cat-like smile etched his lips. "I guess he wouldn't notice if something went missing~! His fault for being a slob!" He snickered. However, just as he got a paw on the wallet, a hand plucked it out of his grasp.

"Don't even think about it." Ruggie chided. "That's the one I'm after....Nah, he'll notice right away if something goes missing." He put the wallet back on the desk. "Leona, I keep telling you: stop leaving valuables out in the open. When will you learn?"

"Shuttup. You're not my dad, Y'know." The Lion muttered. "I don't get why it'd be a big deal, getting stolen...doesn't matter what I do with it. If anyone's got the gall to steal from me, g'head."

"Well, 'it's be a big deal' to me. It'd the ones who treat money frivolously that cry over one madol. This is whatcha get when you're raised with privilege..." Ruggie sighed.

"I'VE GOT IT!!"

Grim jumped at Charlie's shriek. "What'dya mean?!"

"Oi. Don't start shrieking without warning!" Leona scolded, his ears pinned flat to his head, as he stared at Charlie.