-previously-

"Your third eye has shown you what there is to know about Grim's fate. So what do you say we do....?"

........

"To atone for my shame, I will pay each of you the equal amount of money we would've won from the show."

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"This is Team Hepta Subjects D and E have been spotted. Commencing capture immediately."

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"STYX is a non-governmental organization. And they have been experimenting on blot combined by magi-technology since the beginning of time."

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"You're in an unfamiliar place, and in case you forgot: So why don't you just shut your traps and you'll do you, let me do me and we don't hurt each other. Probably~!"

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"According to documents passed down in the royal family, their history is very ancient. One that dates back to a time of the gods."

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"There's more going on than any of you would want to believe. Secrets roam these halls like candles that flicker even when there's no air! I'd watch your back if I were you. For you shouldn't know whom to trust. Maybe even yourself, Zander."

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"....out of all the students I've had in my class....I've always seen you as one of the strongest in my eyes."

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"I will DESTROY Idia Shroud!"

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Jack, Epel, Sol and Charlie had left the building and decided to obtain some fresh air on Main Street in order to clear their minds. The image of both Ace and Deuce passed out cold still branded in their minds, but it only served to fuel Charlie's deepened rage towards Idia and the hell she was going to give him when she got her hands on him.

"Hey, uh...Charlie? With the Ramshackle Dorm in pieces, where are you gonna stay?" Jack brought up.

Oh. Oh shit! She didn't even think about living quarters!! 'Guess that's what I get when my mind's a one-track focus at times....' She thought sheepishly.

"Actually....you bring up a rather good topic." Sol spoke for her. "When we last went there to get her things, only the first floor had suffered major damage...the second floor was intact, but....she and I ruled out that it would still be hazardous to stay even one night in there...."

"Actually...you could stay in Pomefiore until the dorm's in top shape!" Epel brings up. "Vil would likely say the same thing....possibly."

"Yea, he would." Jack nods.

"So....I'll lead you to the dorm!" Epel zipped to Charlie's side. "I'm sure Rook will welcome you with open arms!"

"Maybe more than that...." Charlie grimaced at the thought as she was led to the Mirror Hall by the smaller boy. From underneath her jacket, Fawkes squirms until his head poked out from the edge of her jacket.

"Geez! How do you stand to wear this thing all day?!" He hissed, fanning himself. He looks up seeing where the group was heading to. "Oh, Crap! More people may be there! I can't stay in that sweat factory of a jacket!.....maybe in her pant pocket would work....!" He ducks underneath to begin his crawl towards her pant leg.

"Well, I guess I'll leave you be, guys. See ya." Jack sent them a small salute before getting to the dorm.

"Thanks for tagging along, Jack!" Epel waved goodbye as the Demi-wolf jogged through the portal and back to Savanaclaw.

"Princess, you sure about staying in Pomefiore?"

Sol whispered as Jack left.

"At this point, I just need a place to sit and think." Charlie brushed off. But just as Sol parted her lips to speak again, Epel sighed, his back cracking as he started to the mirror.

"Ugh, screw today...I need a nice hot shower..." Three footsteps to the mirror and suddenly, a blur whizzed past him and shoved him to the ground. Epel braced for impact, but Sol, being the closest next to him, caught him with fast reflexes. "Agh, Geez! Watch where you're going, ya sack o-Huh?!" It was Rook who was frantically checking over his things in a rather large overnight bag.

"I apologize, Monsieur Hime Ringo!" He spews, rather urgently. "I didn't see you there. Are you-?"

"I'm fine." Epel waved away, getting up, until he caught sight of the objects on his hands and paused. "Uh...that's a lotta stuff you got...where ya goin with all that?..." Rook had with him a duffel bag packed with things that nearly made the bag burst at the seams and a few loose items rolled up and shoved under his arms. But in his hand was a broomstick, just like the ones used in PE.

'Geez, if this wasn't Wonderland, I'd have thought I'd transported to the Inuyasha universe....' Charlie shook her head.

Rook sighed. "I may not be back for some time, so...just look out for one another."

"Why, what are you talking about?" Charlie immediately knew what he was doing but asked to be safe. "Y-you're going to the Isle of Lamentation, aren't you?!"

"....Oui."

"What?!" Epel screamed. "Are you crazy?! You could get caught for all we know!!!"

"I know! But that's a risk I'm willing to take!" Rook stood firm with his decision. "I won't let you stop me, either! Besides. I had a frightening realization as

soon as I returned to the dorm...." He continued.

"Vil......never brought skincare products with him when he got taken!"

The three just looked at each other like: 'is this dude for real?!'

"The changing seasons are extremely harsh on the skin. Dehydration is a healthy skin's greatest enemy. Forbidden red fruits will quickly emerge if the skin is not taken good care of."

"Are. You. Fucking. Serious...? You're more worried about acne over Vil's well-being?!" Sol felt like slapping the Vice President over and over from his ridiculous testimony.

"Of course, Reine du Soleil!" Rook nods. "Not to mention, Vil is suppose to have a shoot starting next week! He must be in perfect condition!"

"FORGET THE FUCKIN PHOTOSHOOT! WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF HE's COMING BACK IN A CASKET OR NOT!!!" Epel screeched.

Charlie stormed up to Rook and grabbed him by the collar of his uniform and dragged with brute strength towards her. "You're the GODDAMN VICE PREFECT! SO ACT LIKE IT!!!" She snarled.

"And I am!" Rook unclasped her hands from his collar. He could swear he heard Luna's voice wc helping in his head when she cornered him. "However, I am a Hunter of Love, first and foremost. I yearn only for beauty and to protect it. I could not let such beauty disintegrate when there is something I can do to help!! And now.... I am off on a journey to help protect my dear friend's beauty!!"

"You don't even know where you're going, for fuck's sake!!" She screamed back.

"The Isle of Lamentation is being protected by a divine veil of invisibility. However, there is no need to worry. I can 'see' precisely where Vil and the others are being kept." He winked at her.

"What....what do you mean 'you can see him'?" Epel asked confused more than ever.

"Time is of the essence! Parting is such sweet sorrow, but I must be off. Please excuse me. Adieu!" Rook took off on his broom, ignoring Epel's screams to come back.

"Rook, no!!!"

"It's too late, Epel...he's left...." Sol said quietly.

"But the Isle....we don't know what'll be on it! Swarmed with Charon guards?! The same who went after Vil and the others?! I-I can't just let him go by himself!!"

"Epel?"

"Maybe I should tell someone...a teacher?! No, they'll just reprimand me! Maybe I can go after him then! Even if Rook is going alone to face them, he could meet the same fate!'"

"Epel!"

"I know Crewel said to leave it to the adults but.... But I can't just-"

"EPEL!!" Charlie forced him to look at her, stopping him from frantically mumbling to himself like a crazy person. "Listen: There's a time and place for everything. At times, we don't know what to think with. But it all depends on you in here." She points to his chest, right where his heart was. "Do you want to do what's right? Or what's best for your comrades?" She asked him. He stopped functioning at her question, as she let go of his cheeks and left him to ponder the question out in the hall to get to her 'room' in the castle.

Sol trailed after, not wanting anything bad to happen to Charlie, but decided to placed a small enchantment upon Epel so he wouldn't go running off so suddenly.

Charlie passed through the glass like she was walking into a wall of water and into the dorm with nothing more on her mind than to plan and rest before she decided to follow Rook and do what was

planned since the start. A few of the Pomefiore members greeted her and she gave polite greets back as she went up to the middle floor and found a rather suitable room. From what she remembered, one room was left unoccupied in case any guests stayed overnight. Thankfully she found the directory and knew the room number by heart.

Once she unlocked the door, she was glad to see it was cleaned and unused. She walks to the bed and drops her things onto it, dropping onto the bed, trying to think of her plan of action. But before she could do so, her grimoire slipped out of her bag and collapsed onto the floor, the noise catching her attention. Left unlocked in her haste last time she read it, the book opened to a few pages she hadn't read. She looked down and picked it up, only for her eyes to land on a topic that she never knew about.

"Battle Dresses...?"

This intrigued her deeply. Not just by the title, but the information that spilled from the parchment.

Battle Dresses are Alternative forms that mages use for combative purposes. Part of a rare collection for mages who have very little experience in wars, these armors can grant the user extensive powers and abilities that can give them the upper hand against adversaries.

From armors that are imbued with elements of the earth to supernatural powers and rare magics, each Battle Dress or Weapons is unique for each user to don.

Underneath the description were several kinds of Battle Dresses, what generation they were from, what attributes and weaknesses they possess, and

how they looked. It intrigued her to no end...

'So it's like a requip of sorts....' She thought, some of the styles and powers of the Battle Dresses and the weapons caught her eye. Even some of the Names were badass....

Shinigami....

Armadura Dracarys...

Desert Hydra....

Cosmic Assault....

Demon Princess....

"Charlotte?" The girl nearly threw her book in fright at the call of her name, but after seeing it was Sol, she resisted the urge to.

"Sol!" She laughed, albeit off guard from the sudden jump-scare. "I didn't hear you come in!" She quickly locked the book, intending to read more on the topic later.

"I was just coming to tell you that...I found a room nearby for me to reside in next to you so I can make sure your safe." The blonde sat next to her on the bed. "Also....I kind of left Epel in the mirror hall..."

"Sol, you didn't!"

"He could've ran off without us!" She defends. "I think he was having the same idea as you...."

"Follow after Rook and going to the Isle of Lamentation? Obviously!" Fawkes took this as his chance to make himself known and sat on Charlie's shoulder with a huff. "But she's not going for the same reason as he is. It's obvious why Charlie's going: for revenge!"

"I figured as such." Another voice sighed, making both girls look up to see Luna leaning in the doorway with her head against the frame as well. "Of course you'd want to go and fight against the third year for taking your friends...."

"Luna, you don't understand! I have to do this!" Charlie defends. "They're my friends, and I won't let him get away with this!"

"But what if you're caught by those Charon guards like the overblotted?!" Luna brought up. "You could become another experiment just like them! And that's one of the most terrifying things that your moth-....your most closest brothers would want out of you: to be hurt!"

"I'm not a little girl, Luna." Charlie defends carefully. "I can handle myself. Please, just....let me go after Rook: we can help one another." The brunette took Luna's hands in her own desperately. "And Epel would want to help as well! We saw it ourselves! This is important!"

"And what's more important: the well being of those around you or telling those higher than yourself what must be done and getting consent for a dangerous mission?!" Luna glared back, yanking her hands away. "I forbid you from going to the Isle and saving those...those...those brats! They've caused you nothing but trouble and near death! And yet you still think they can be redeemed?! You must learn: this world is filled with those who hold morals between mercy and justice. As much as I admire you for your selflessness, your wellbeing is far more important than anything! We can't afford to have you meddle into another dorm's business as much as I, too, believe it to be out of line for this to come about." She turned her head away as she pressed her lips together tightly. Luna also felt like giving Idia divine punishment for what he did, but the horrors could only rise from here on out. And if he were to succumb to the dark side....it'd spell doom for any around him....

"......Why SHOULDN'T I have to go?!" Charlie demands rather harshly.

"Charlie!" Sol tried to calm her.

"These guys mean a lot to me and I can't just stand here and watch them suffer!" Charlie argued.

"It's for the benefit of yourself and for those around you that you try and remain in the lines and never cross them." Luna said stoically.

"So you want me to stay in place and not do a single thing to help my family?!"

"I want you to do what's safe for yourself!"

"But-!"

"That is all, Charlotte!" Luna snapped. "My decision is final. We know our place.....maybe you still haven't learnt yours."

The statement made Charlie look at Luna in shock, but it morphed into anger as she scoffed in anger, shoved past her and ran out of her room, ignoring Sol's pleas. Her face was stone mad as she fled through the corridors, but by the time she fled outside, she collapsed to her knees in anguish. Her sobs left her lips as her chest began to hurt, like a heavy weight of lead was weighing her down. And the feeling only spread through her body as the sun's last few rays slipped below the horizon line as purple and dark blue began to intertwine above in the skies.

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The space glittered with stars as Charlie approached the now broken Ramshackle dorm. She stood outside the gates as she looked forlornly at the destruction that surrounded the yard and the framework. The memories immediately came back to her.

The ghosts, her and Grim were out trying Magift for the first time....when she first met Malleus and they were ignorant of one another's identities.....when she had saved her home from Azul's clutches....when she first arrived and had no place left to go.....A sigh left her as she rested her back against the wrought iron gate, sliding down to sit, tilting her head up to look at the sky. Her eyes trailed among the many stars, trying to find answers but none came to her...not one.

"Thought I'd find you out here." She looked to the side, seeing Epel sitting next to her. "Sol asked me to go and talk to you...."

"What's there to talk about...?" She asked listless, looking back up. "....Luna forbade me from going after the guys and making Shroud pay for what he did....."

".....I'm sorry you got into a fight with her." Epel sighed and leans against her for comfort and the two rested in Silence. Neither had said a word for the past few minutes and then.... "You know....I thought about what you said. In the Hall?....Sol freezing me gave me a lot to think about....and.....to put it in your words.....Fuck it!" He leapt to his feet. "You're right! We can't just sit here and do nothing! There's a time and a place for everything! A time for action! A time for doing things first and taking the consequences later!"

"What's the point...?" Charlie sighed. "Luna's right: all I've done was stick my nose into the other dorms' business and look what happened! Face it....I bring nothing but trouble wherever I trek...."

".......that.....that's not true! Look what you've done for half a year now: you battled a monster on Dwarf Mt, twice! You saved Vil and the others from Overblot with your magic! You protected Halloween, survived a ghost invasion, you even wiped out an entire onslaught of enemies in Beans Day with nothing more than a paintball gun! Charlie, it's always been there, clear as day: you do this because you're you! You kick ass, take names and don't think about the consequences til later! You're like the sister I never had! I....I even look up to you!" He says shyly. "You're...you're someone I admired...even from a distance!....your confidence, selflessness and wit is something I envy having....and....and that's something I'll always cherish about you...! Even if you can't see it....I always will...." He smiled as he finished. Charlie listened with hushed breath as Epel talked, the words bounced around in her head like a ping-pong ball. And somehow, within all that talk...she heard Mickey's voice and Grim's pleas....

'...I wish I could pass through here and help you in someway! Just be careful!...'

"Fucking hell! I said I ain't goin!!! Charlie!!!!"

And Ace and Deuce in their comatose state was the final nail in the coffin.

"Yet....Even if we don't go....we....we may just be a burden....." Epel slumps to the floor.

".....But We can't bear staying silent while everyone we know and care for is tortured." Charlie murmurs, catching his ear. "And I repeat: We can't just sit here and do nothing! You're right, Epel. I've done reckless shit before, and I'll do it again if I have to!....I'm going after the guys....and I won't let my superiors or Sol and Luna stop me!....Will you come with?" She holds her hand out to him and he smiles.

"What else are brothers for!" He grasped her hands, sealing the deal.