~Mirror Chamber~
"I call order to this meeting of housewardens. Our agenda today concerns the October Magift tournament. Let us begin with the report from the head of the tournament planning committee: Mr. Ashengrotto of Octavinelle house.", Crowley.
"Greetings. I am Azul Ashengrotto, and it is my honor to lead the planning committee. I am pleased to announce that we have fully booked the grounds surrounding the coliseum. All of the kiosk space allotted to both internal organizations and external businesses is now full.", Azul.
"Sweet! This tournament should be a real lively one, then.", Kalim.
"All invitations to various royalty have been sent, and public tickets are selling briskly. And, as in past years, we have received numerous requests to cover the event from both television stations and print media.", Azul.
"Sounds like the whole world will be watching. Before I was admitted here, I looked forward to receiving my VIP invitation every year. I imagine you got them too, Leona? We might have run into each other at the tournament when we were kids! ", Kalim.
"Who knows? And also, who cares?", Leona.
"This year, I'll have to work extra hard on my makeup to make sure I'm shining like a diamond on the new Ultravision displays. With all the exertion, I'll need to be touching it up constantly!", Vil.
"*Sigh* ...House Pomefiore is the only dorm that regularly calls timeouts to fix their makeup.", Riddle.
"How can you all be so excited to be on TV? Just the idea of it makes me wanna puke.", Idia.
"*ahem* As I was saying.", Azul.
"Oops, sorry!", Kalim.
"Now, as soon as your dorms' player rosters are settled, I'll need your registration documents. Any dorm that is even a single day late--", Azul. "Will be promptly disqualified, I trust.", Riddle.
"No. They will be charged a handling fee. Consider it remuneration for rush processing.", Azul.
"What? I don't approve of you changing the rules to allow for policy exceptions!", Riddle.
"And I couldn't be more grateful for it! Ha ha ha!", Kalim.
"Let's try to stay on topic. We need to discuss the tournament bracket. I had an idea I'd like to propose.", Crowley.
"And that is...?", Riddle.
"It concerns the Diasmonia housewarden. I think we should induct Mr. Draconia into the hall of fame to keep him off the field entirely.", Crowley.
"Say whaaat?!", Kalim.
"What are you on about?", Leona.
"Ever since Mr. Draconia enrolled here, no dorm has scored even a single point against Diasomnia. Diasomnia regularly scores 100 points per game, with 90% of them being from Mr. Draconia himself.", Crowley.
"Now that you mention it, when we had to face them last year, it did feel completely futile.", Kalim.
"The dude totally breaks the game. It's like he's got cheat codes enabled.", Idia.
"Amusement is not the only goal of this tournament. Our hope is that spectators the world over will discover talented new mages. However... Recent matches have been ending without anyone, save Mr. Draconia, casting even a single spell. And that includes his own teammates! And that is less-than-optimal state of affairs.", Crowley.
"I'm all for it. Getting stomped isn't exactly fun for us either.", Idia.
"I know many members of Savanaclaw House aspire to play in the Magical Shift pro league. Savanaclaw House has never landed in less than third place in the history of this school. And yet in both of the last two years, you've been eliminated in the first round after being matched against Diasomnia House. That's certainly not impressing any recruiters. Thus, this matter of disproportionate performance directly affects your players' future.", Crowley.
"And you're sayin' you expect us to make fools of ourselves on the field again this year?", Leona.
"It certainly brings me no pleasure to suggest it. Regardless, Mr. Draconia has already agreed to be inducted into the hall of fame. All we need now is this committee's approval.", Crowley.
"So you're saying we need a handicap. Listen and listen well, Teach... Ain't nothin' I hate more than someone tellin' me "you can't win" before I even begin to fight.", Leona.
"No, that is not my intention--", Crowley. "Then what is? First of all, Magical Shift ain't a game about power. It's all about what's up HERE, in your head!", Leona.
"I'm pretty sure my head can't beat Malleus's.", Kalim.
"I don't doubt that. But mine can. Sure, in a battle of brute force, no one's beatin' him. But in a battle of wits-- that's a different story.", Leona.
"Intriguing...", Azul.
"The King of Beasts from the Great Seven won his throne through cunning and persistence. You all should be wrackin' your brains, trying to come up with a way to beat that monster! Whichever team figures that out is gonna be sittin' REAL pretty on the world stage. Are you gonna let a once-in-a-lifetime chance like that get yanked out from under you?", Leona.
"For once, Leona is making perfect sense. I agree-- this plan is utter nonsense. It reeks of some kind of unconscious bias on your part. And I despite that sort of thing.", Vil.
"I am in complete agreement with Housewarden Vil. As one of the foremost mages here, the last thing I want to do is give up without a fight.", Riddle.
"Don't you wanna see that self-important, stuck-up jerk's crestfallen face get broadcast to the whole world? Doesn't the thought of it make you wanna roar?", Leona.
"Heh heh. That would certainly boost the ratings!", Azul.
"Well, I certainly don't want to be on the losing side of this.", Kalim.
"Seriously? I'm the only one who wants him in the hall of fame?", Idia.
"I think we have our answer. The hall of fame idea is officially shut down.", Leona.
"*Sigh* ...Fine, fine. But if this year ends up being a repeat of the last two years, he's going in next year for sure.", Crowley.
"That's your call.", Leona.
"Well, that was the last item on today's agenda. Everyone, remember to submit your registrations. Not that I would be upset if it were to slip your mind... Heh heh heh.", Azul.
"Incidentally, where IS Malleus? Did everyone forget to invite him again?", Vil.
"Oops!", the rest of the members, including Crowley.
~Stairway~
"The Magical Shift tournament rosters should be final any day now.", Heartslabyul student A. "Have you come up with any flashy new spells?", Heartslabyul student B. "You know it! I already showed one to Professor Crewel and he seemed pretty impressed. I can't wait to show it to Housewar-- BWAAAAAH?! Gah! That hurt!", student A. "Hey! What just happened?! Why'd you tumble down the stairs like that?!", student B. "My ankle... It hurts!", student A. "Oh no! We gotta get you to the nurse!", student B.
"Shyeheehee!", a laughter from an upper floor level was heard in silent whispers.
*(!) Blot starts to drip... (!)*
~Ramshackle Dorm~
*(!) !!!! (!)*
A bad feeling started to creep up to my chest, almost like a sharp pain. But the feeling was gone as fast as it started. It scared the hell out of me, but after waiting to see if I would feel it again I soon went back to sleep...
I just hope it was a temporary thing that meant nothing....
YOU ARE READING
Twisted-Wonderland: Heart of the Night
RandomThe story of a girl with hardly any memory to recall awakes in a strange land of magic. She is entered into a school of magic.... Except she has no magic and it's an all-boys school. A raccoon-cat creature to look after. Being the only girl in th...
