Chapter Text
“Off With Your Head!”
As the redhead shouted, everything had turned white, which caught both Ren and Morgana off-guard.
“Fugyah!? What the heck is this!?”
As everything cleared up, they saw that Grim was now wearing a heart-shaped collar on his neck.
“Number 23 of the rules by the Queen of Hearts,” the redhead crossed his arms. “One shall never bring a cat into a festival. You being a cat means you’ve broken the rule. I shall have you leave at once.”
Ren could feel the seriousness in the boy’s tone. He could also feel Morgana watching the events unfold behind him.
“I’m not a cat!” the creature yelled. “I’ll just burn this collar right now... Huh? I can’t use my magic!”
“You won’t be able to use your magic until I remove that collar,” the redhead explained as a smirk formed on his face. “You’re nothing more than an ordinary cat at the moment.”
“What!? I’m not some sort of pet!”
“Don’t worry. I would never keep someone like you as a pet.”
The redhead turned to Ren, as a shiver went down his spine as he looked at him with a cold look on his face. “You have made quite a mess. Not only have you broken the rules of this school, you have also broken numerous rules of the Queen of Hearts.”
Rules of the Queen of Hearts? The redhead kept mentioning about them, but Ren didn’t know what it was. However, he felt that the redhead needed an explanation of some sort, so he replied.
“I apologize for the mess. I can fix it if you want. I won’t be staying in this place for long, so you don’t have to see me.”
The redhead gave a slightly sophisticated ‘hmph’ before responding. “I have no time to deal with rule breakers like you. You’re going to be out of my hairs by then.”
The smaller boy pointed at Grim, still facing the boy with curly hair. “Grab him, will you? We need to report to the Headmaster.”
The redhead had walked out of the classroom, leaving the rest of them there.
“Sheesh... That guy managed to block his magic out. That’s incredible.” Morgana said in awe, before stepping out of his hiding place.
“It is,” the boy with glasses approached them. “It’s his Signature Spell. It can seal away a person’s magic and leave collar around their neck.”
“Signature Spell, huh?” Ren thought to himself, not noticing that the boy with glasses was mumbling to himself.
“We should get going now. Riddle is a diligent person who makes no exception to tardiness.” The boy with glasses walked out of the room.
Ren had picked up Grim, who was less than amused to be picked up and started struggling, and locked the creature in his arms.
“I guess it’s over then.” Ren let out a sigh. “Come on, let’s go.”
This night had been wild for both Ren and Morgana. It had left them tired from all the running and chasing they had to do.
“Once we get to Crowley, we can ask him a few things,” Morgana looked up at Ren. “Hopefully he knows a way out.”
Ren nodded as a response. “It’s been quite a night and all I want is to go back to bed...”
“Wanna get some sushi after this? I think we need it after what happened.” The feline joked.
“Fine. As you wish.”
Ren felt that the creature he had in his arms was still struggling to break free. He had ignored its pleas for freedom as they kept walking. It wasn’t long before they had reached the doors to the Hall of Mirrors.
Ren pushed the doors open only to see that there was no one left inside except for Crowley, who must have been waiting for him. They must have had everyone evacuate from the area while they were gone.
“There you are!” The Headmaster exclaimed. “Mister Rosehearts and Mister Ashengrotto had already made their reports about the issue. This familiar of yours has done heavy damage to this place! At least discipline it properly. You--"
“It’s not mine.” Ren interrupted with a flat tone.
Crowley was almost dumbfounded by the sudden interruption. “It’s not?”
“Yeah. We’ve never seen him before,” Morgana explained. “He attacked us when he saw us.”
“A-Ah. Is that so?” Crowley cleared out his throat. “Anyway. Let’s get it out of the school grounds. I will not turn him into stew, since I am gracious enough.”
Ren grabbed Grim off of his arms before giving him to Crowley. The creature was unfortunately still unhappy and kept struggling to escape from the man’s grasp.
“Hold still. This will not hurt. I wish for your cooperation since I do not wish to transport you to the ocean.” Crowley looked at Grim, as his eyes had suddenly started to glow an emerald green. The man went silent for a few moments before he had suddenly yelled out. “Transport!”
“Gyaaa!”
The creature shrieked as his body started fading away from the feet to half of its little torso.
“This won’t be the end!” Grim hissed. “I will become the world’s Greatest Magician...!”
Grim had slowly started to fade away, leaving nothing else, not even a speck of fur.
Ren and Morgana looked at the spot where Grim once stood. Their face had a look of horror before they turned their heads back at the Headmaster.
“What happened?” He stared at the man, a loss for words. “You didn’t do something bad to him, didn’t you?”
“Worry not. It was simply a transportation spell,” Crowley answered. “Though if I have to be honest, it’s been a while since I’ve used that spell since I have no actual use for it. I don’t exactly know where it had been sent to.”
“I almost feel bad for the guy...” Morgana mumbled. “I wonder why he wanted to be here so badly.”
“Guess we’ll never know.” Ren answered to Morgana.
The Headmaster crossed both of his arms. “Now, Mister Amamiya. I am terribly sorry but... We must need you to leave the school.”
“I am not one to crush someone’s dreams, however, those who do not possess magic cannot be allowed to attend here.” He followed.
Ren stared back at him. “So... We can go home now?”
“Yes,” the man answered. “The Dark Mirror is able to send you to where you came from.”
“Phew... It’s finally over,” Morgana said in relief. “I feel restless from all that happened here.”
Home. They can finally go back home.
He was dying to go back already.
The boy stepped in front of the Dark Mirror as Crowley came to his aid. “Picture your home clearly in your mind.”
Ren closed his eyes as he tried to imagine his hometown. He pictured in a suburban neighborhood, somewhat quiet and rural, as he suddenly starts to picture and hear the sounds of a police siren and the familiar red and blue lights.
“Damn brat, I’ll sue!”
Something that was supposed to be long forgotten by now. Yet it managed to slip inside of his mind. He shakes his head before imagining something else.
His house. Somewhat old in a modern way. A vintage aesthetic, as a certain artist would say. He stood in front of his house as a cherry petal fell. One single petal turned to several as a cherry blossom tree sprouted in front of him. As well as several serene temples. He could almost feel that he was walking towards a torii gate.
This was ‘Home’.
“Oh, Dark Mirror! Guide him to where he came! To the place where he belongs!” Crowley shouted.
The Dark Mirror showed its form from the reflective glass. However, it doesn’t seem to respond.
“Um... Once more. Oh, Dark Mirror! Guide him-- “
“It is nowhere.” The Dark Mirror voiced.
“Eh?”
“I cannot find where they belong. It is nowhere in this world.”
Ren and Morgana looked at each other in confusion from the Dark Mirror’s sudden announcement.
“Huh...? I thought I imagined it clearly.” Ren shuddered. “There’s no way...”
“This is unbelievable...” Crowley looked at the Dark Mirror
“For the first time, ever since I became the headmaster, an occurrence like this has never happened before.”
Crowley noticed that the boy was in pure disbelief, as if he was stunned. “Where did you come from?” He asked, switching his tone to one with more softness to it.
Ren hesitated. “Kyoto... Kyoto, Japan.”
The Headmaster looked down, before turning back to Ren with a disappointed look. “My apologies. I do not know where that place is located.”
Crowley stood up as he placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Let’s visit the library. There must be some document on where that place is.”
This night surely wasn’t one he had expected. A rampant animal suddenly attacking the school and a magic-less boy with a feline companion appeared.
There was something about the boy. Something that Crowley had not seen from any other student during his time up until now. There was something special about him.
This boy... It’s almost as if he’s some sort of Phantom.