My Dream

🦁 Sudden Exhibition!

"Hey hey, Headmaster!" Grim called. "We found the culprit just like you asked! You're gonna let us play in the tournament like you promised, right?!"

"Eh!?" Crowley looked surprised before a look of realization bloomed on his face. "Ahh~ I did promise you that. It's most definitely impossible, we've already announced the tournament line up. What should we do about this?"

"Eeeeehhh!!!" Grim shrieked, wide-eyed. "That's cruel! You scammer!!"

"It's okay, Crowley." Gwen said, taking hold of Grim. "Grim and I can just do the face paint booth. It's already pretty popular." Gwen sighed. "Golly, and I was just starting to get excited to play.

Grim squirmed in her grasp. "I'm gonna light your lying ass on fire! Ffgnaa~~~~!"

"Wait wait wait!" Crowley held up a hand. "Pause in your lighting things on fire. I'll come up with an idea." Crowley hummed thoughtfully.

"I know!" Crowley snapped his fingers. "How about playing in a special exhibition match? It will be like the opening act before the main event. I'm sure you'll be able to show off!"

"Show off?!" Grim said excitedly.

"Why of course." Crowley beamed.

"I'm good to go as long as I can show off!" Grim flew out of Gwen's grasp and punched a paw in the air happily. "Yay~ I'm gonna get a bunch of scouts after everyone sees my greatness on TV!"

"But don't we need seven people for magift." Gwen pointed out. "What about the extra team members? I could call the ghosts, but even then we would only have five."

"Extra members... hmm, what to do..." Crowley said absentmindedly, putting a hand to his chin. "And we need a team for you to play against, maybe I can get a staff team together..."

"Ffgna!? Did you forget that too!?" Grim asked.

"We heard everything." Arms wrapped around Gwen. Ace and Deuce had come back.

"For extra members, we'll take those spots." Deuce volunteered.

"What are you talking about?" Riddle asked. "Aren't both of you on team Heartslabuyl?"

"There's no rule that says you can't join another dorm's team." Ace pointed out with a grin.

Trey laughed. "I've never thought about it before but you're right."

"That sounds like fun!" Cater grinned. "I wanna join Gwen-Chan's team too~"

"Cater, you're one of our regular members!" Riddle reminded.

"Tch." Cater remained smiling, but it now looked strained.

"Just cheering for our classmates from the side would be boring." Ace said. "I'll do whatever it takes to play."

"I-I'm not like him!" Deuce protested. "I purely want to help out my dear friends."

"If it's an opponent you're looking for, Savanaclaw will take you on." Jack volunteered. Leona and Ruggie looked less than thrilled at this idea.

"Ffna? You guys will?" Grim asked.

"Would you rather play against the teachers?" Jack asked.

Gwen considered this. While Trein would more than likely just stand there instead of doing anything, the others would be a problem. Crowley was a goofball, but still very formidable at magic. Vargas would absolutely dominate the field. And by god, she did not want to be on the opposing team from Crewel for any reason whatsoever. She had played with Sam before, and he hit hard! Yeah... she'd rather play against Savanaclaw.

"You're actually a pretty cool guy." Ace noted.

"D-don't get the wrong idea." Jack snapped, looking flustered. "I just don't want to be indebted to you."

Aw, he's like a much sweeter version of Myz. Gwen thought. Oh golly! He's the exact mix of Myz and Hayato!

Jack turned to look at his seniors. "You guys fine with that?" He asked.

"Uughh~" Ruggie groaned. "We're already about to keel over but you want to throw on one more game? Jack, you're a demon..."

"Huuugh. This is a pain." Leona sighed. "Whatever, just come at us all at once, damn herbivores. Even if it's just an exhibition it's still a match. Be prepared."

"Pew... what a relief." Crowley sighed, looking immensely relieved. "I was about to get another three hour long lecture from Mr. Trien."

Everyone shuddered in fear at that statement, just imaging the scenario or reliving the horror.

"You're team has gathered four players." Crowley counted. "All you need is three more than you can play."

"Hey, it's still not enough!?" Grim hissed. "We even got people from another dorm to join us! Why are there only two people in our dorm?!"

Gwen smiled. "Well, actually, we aren't the only ones. Weren't you listening to what I said?"

"Ah! That's right!" Grin realized. "Residents are those who live in the dorm, right?"

"Well, yeah, that's what it boils down too." Ace answered, not catching on.

"Then there are more than just us living in Ramshackle Dorm!" Grim said triumphantly.

"The ghosts!" Gwen revealed. "They were amazing players from 90 years ago."

"Eeh?" Crowley asked. "You're going to enter the ghosts as the other players!?"

"They said they were pretty good back in the day so this is great!" Grim replied. "I'll go get them! Yahooo! I'm gonna be on TV~" Grim cheered, racing off.

"Does anything go..." Jack looked on in confusion. "Can ghosts even play properly?"

"I think it's fine?" Ace answered, but he still looked confused as well. "Gwen may be playing but she can't use the kind of magic that the rest of us use."

"I realized I'm going to be on TV and now I'm nervous..." Deuce muttered.

"Let us head back to the stadium..." Crowley cut in. "Everyone, did somebody see a black rock drop somewhere around here?"

"Eh?" Ace replied. "Black rock?"

"Did you drop something, Headmaster?" Deuce asked.

"No... if you don't see it then it's fine." Crowley said, but he still looked concerned. "Let's hurry to the coliseum."

"Gwen." Jack grinned at her. "Let's go."

"Everyone, good luck!" Gwen cheered. "Off to the Magical Shift Tournament!"

"Wait, actually, before we go..." Crowley turned to Gwen. "Miss Brookes, if you wouldn't mind." He gestured towards Savanaclaw's ruined stadium.

"Oh, of course." Gwen held up her paintbrush, dripping in the ink of Leona's overblot. With a few flicks and swishes, the stadium was fully prepared.

Leona let out an impressed whistle. "Not bad Kitten."

***

Gwen had been given a magical staff that would let her play along. The game had been going great. Gwen was doing a good job keeping up.

And then... "I call it... The Great Grim Hurricane!"

Gwen couldn't remember what happened next.