Twisted-Wonderland: Heart of the Night

Episode 2-18: Cornering the Suspect!

We made it to the classroom we were headed to.

"All right, where's Ruggie Bucchi?!", Grim.

"Right here.  Ah...  It's you guys again.  I really hope this isn't about that deluxe grilled cheese.  We traded fair and square.", Ruggie.  He rose up out of his seat when he was called.

"Ruggie Bucchi, we need to ask you some questions about the spate of injuries that have befallen prospective Magical Shift tournament players.", Riddle.

"Oh ho.  This sounds like some serious business.", Ruggie.

"How about we move to the hall and keep this in the down low, if you catch my drift?", Cater followed Riddle in the same tone.

"I'm cooperating.  Let's all try to be gentlemen, now.", Ruggie.

We make our way to the hall.  Cater and Riddle made sure Ruggie made it out to the hall by letting him go out first passing them by the door.

"Very well.  While we do not yet know exactly what transpired, it is abundantly clear that your unique magic is a dangerous one.  I will be casting "Off With Your Head" to--", Riddle tried to be discreet with Ruggie without drawing attention.

"But Riddle, are you sure you should be casting such a powerful spell without your magical pen?", Ruggie.

"Huh?  Wait... what?!  What happened to my magical pen?!", Riddle started to panic and look from his pen pocket.

"Hey, Cater!  Your pen's gone too!", Grim pointed out since he got a good view from my shoulder.

"You're kidding me!  How?!", Cater also panicked.

"Shyeheehee!  Children of privilege, every one of you.  So unprepared.  So complacent.  Like stealing candy from a baby.", Ruggie gloated.

"Myah?!  He cast his spell to snatch your pens away without us even noticing?!", Grim.

"Puh-lease.  As if I'd need magic to do that!  Anyway, having a showdown in the hallway is not on my agenda for today, so I'll be on my way.  Toodles!", Ruggie runs off down the hallway.

"Hold it right there!", Grim jumps off my shoulder and proceeds to follow him.

"Curse you!  You will halt if you value your head!  "Off With--", Riddle.  "Whoa, Riddle, stop!  You finally got rid of all the blot from your body only recently!", Cater prevents Riddle from finishing the spell.

We followed Grim shortly after to try to catch Ruggie, but it was to no avail since he was still ahead of us.

"Dude, your flamingo-feeding outfit was insane.  Who knew they made leopard print in hot pink?", Ace.  "L-look, it's not like I had a choice!  It's all I had in pink!", Deuce.  "I can't believe we still gotta follow weird rules like that.  But I guess it's better than it was.", Ace.

"Oh!  Ace, Deuce!  You boys have great timing!", Cater called out to them when they appeared in the hall.

"Huh?  What's going on?  Why are you running?", Ace.

"The culprit!  He's getting away!  You need to apprehend Ruggie Bucchi immediately!  Housewarden's orders!", Riddle just turned red-angry face.

"Whaaat?!", Deuce.  "What does this gotta do with us?!", Ace.

"This is your chance to impress Riddle for a spot on the roster.", Kalin.

When I reminded them of that, they followed Grim to catch him.  Deuce was up for it since he was on the track team, but Ace was still not motivated fully but ran anyway.  Might have to do with the "Off With Your Head!" spell consequence.

But Cater stayed with Riddle catching their breath, so he told me to chase after them while they would catch up.

Meanwhile, the gang caught up a little behind Ruggie when he made a stop.

"Myah!  We've got you now!", Grim says standing in front of Ace and Deuce.

"What, you think some freshman and a raccoon can catch ME?  All of you look so slow as molasses-- and I'm not talking about your runnin' speed!", Ruggie.

"*hiss*  I am NOT a raccoon!", Grim.  "Save it!  We got work to do!", Ace.

When they went after him, Ruggie bolted back on the run.  But unlike Cater and Riddle, who didn't have their magical pens on them, Ace and Deuce can use their magic to trip up Ruggie to slow him down to catch him.  Of course though, Ruggie was running at top speed.  But Ace and Deuce's efforts to land an attack at his feet was pretty close.

"I thought you Heartslabyul guys were nothin' but tea-partying softies...  But y'know something?  Color me impressed.  I take it all back!", Ruggie.

"Keep talkin'.  I'm this close to wiping that smug grin off your face.", Deuce.  "Would you just let us nab you already?  I don't wanna lose my head again, thanks!", Ace.

"If you want me so bad, then maybe you should work harder to catch me!", Ruggie.

They try their efforts again, but they still only come so close to hitting him.  As much as Ruggie is running at the speed he's at, he struggles to keep off them just a bit.

It was soon though, that Ace and Deuce starting to lose their breath from all the running and them using up most of their magic.

"How do you like THIS?!", Deuce casts his last spell.  He summoned a cauldron, but it landed out of reach from hitting Ruggie.

"Yipe!  O-okay, yeah.  Maybe that one was a little fur-raisin'... ...but unlike you guys, I'm not on my last legs!  Byeee!", Ruggie.

"Hah...  Hah...  H-how's he not even winded after all that running?!", Ace.

As they were chasing Ruggie out into the courtyard, I was finally able to catch up to them, barely catching my breath.