Twisted Wonderland

Hasty Schemes

You walk with the Savanaclaw boys back to the dorm after practice. Leona nudges your shoulder.

"I saw the drawing you made. It's not half bad."

You smile shyly. "Thanks. I thought you'd like it."

Grim hops around your feet, nearly tripping you over.

"Who knew a morning workout could feel so good?" Grim calls out. "I'm alive, I tell ya! Aliiiive!"

Jack nods his head. "Right? 'S why I get up an hour earlier than this to get some jogging in."

Grim cringes. "O-okay, that might be a little overboard. So Savanaclaw Dorm's already trainin' hard for next year's interdorms, huh?" Grim smirks. "Looks like we'll have some worthy rivals."

Ruggie turns to you. "Oh, I guess you guys haven't heard yet. Every May, we have an even bigger Spelldrive event than the interdorm tournament."

Grim's eyes widen. "MRAH! It gets even bigger than that?"

"Yup." Leona says lazily. "It's the interscholastic games."

"Oh yeah, this isn't the only magic school, huh?" You say.

Ruggie nods. "As the name suggests, it's a Spelldrive event where different schools compete."

"Our school always plays against Royal Sword Academy." Leona finishes the thought.

"Ooh, I've heard of them!" Grim adds excitedly.

"Twisted Wonderland's got a number of educational institutions for cultivatin' magicians.
Night Raven College and Royal Sword Academy are particularly prestigious." Ruggie informs. "We're basically known as the Big Two."

"So what's Royal Sword Academy like?" Grim asks.

Leona rolls his eyes. "It's a school for pampered lordlings that's fulla snooty, scrawny wimps."

Ruggie laughs. "What he said. Their campus 'n uniforms are all shiny and sparkly. Talk about lame! Can you imagine how much a single scuff would stand out on a white uniform? I know they're supposed to be a big deal, but I wouldn't go there even if they begged me."

Jack tilts his head. "Hasn't Night Raven College lost the interscholastics for the past hundred years running, though?"

Ruggie winces. "W-well... We're only at ninety nine so far! You can bet your tail we'll win this year. Hundredth time's the charm."

"From what I've seen watching the interscholastics on TV," Jack folds his arms. "Royal Sword Academy's roster of players are all individually outstanding, but that's not why they dominate. The real key is their incredible teamwork."

Grim tilts his head at an idea. "Hey, wait a minute. If we're talkin' interscholastics here... Does that mean it'll be more 'n just Savanaclaw? Will the other dorms be goin' up against Royal Sword Academy, too?"

"Yeah. Each dorm contributes a player into one big team that represents the school." Leona answers.

You shake your head. Just knowing how hostile these boys can be, that doesn't sound like a good idea. "Sounds like personality clashes waiting to happen."

Leona nods. "Last year, the team broke out into a brawl before the game even started, just from arguing over who got what position."

Grim smirks. "I like their moxie. If you want a position, you gotta fight for it! I'll make sure I get picked as a school rep!"

Jack quirks an eye at the cat. "If you wanna strut your stuff and make a good case for gettin' picked, the best way to do that is to stick to your daily practice."