(kinda) Yandere SGE various x Reader

Chapter 22: Trial by Tale, pt 1

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Terrified, Sophie spun towards Kiko, They had to stay together–
But Kiko was scampering towards the Blueberry Fields, peeping to make sure she wasn't following.

Quickly Sophie took the west trail towards the Blue Brook, where she hid under its bridge. She had expected the Forest to be pitch-dark and made Hort teach her a fire spell during breakfast. But tonight the trees fluoresced with an ice-blue, backlit sheen, glazing the Forest in arctic glow. Though the effect was ominous, she breathed relief. A flaming torch would have made her an easy target.

As she waded into the Fernfield, hearing the wolves howl in the next pair, Sophie felt electric blue fronds kiss her neck. Her body relaxed. She'd imagined a nonstop siege of horrors. But the Forest was quieter than she'd ever seen it. No skulking animals. No ominous howls. Just her in an ethereal meadow, wind strumming blades like harp strings.

As she waded through head-high ferns, she thought of Agatha. Did a teacher catch her brewing plan? Did Hester intercept her? Sophie felt pinpricks of sweat. Or is Agatha afraid to help me?
For if she won with Tedros, no one could deny her switching schools. She could rule Good as their beneficent Captain. She could have her prince for Ever After and the life as a queen, with Y/n by her side as her loyal sidekick. Sophie gritted her teeth. If only she hadn't made that promise about going home! If only she could win this Trial alone, then she wouldn't have to keep it!
She stopped in her tracks. But I can! Look at me! I'm doing just fi–
A scream echoed. White sparks sprayed into the sky. Kiko had surrendered. Sophie's legs jellied. How long would it take Kiko's attacker to find her? What was she thinking? She couldn't last here! She yanked the kerchief from her pocket, unleashed vermilion red, and–

CRACK!

Something dropped from above and landed at her feet. She stared down at a scroll of parchment, wrapped with a string of fabric. Fabric glowing with angry green frogs. Sophie looked up and saw a dove high above the trees. The dove tried to fly down–

CRACK!

A barrier of flames exploded across the sky if it got even close to the tress. The faculty had taken no chances. Sophie urgently pulled open the scorched scroll–

Go to the Tulip Garden. Once your finger glows, put a tulip under your tongue and say FLORADORA FLEURIANA. You'll turn into a baby tulip, Y/n's idea. I'll lead you, hurry.
-Agatha

Sophie slumped with relief. A tulip! No one would ever find her! Oh, how could she doubt Agatha? Sweet, loyal Agatha! And sweet Y/n who found her that spell. Sophie guiltily balled the red kerchief back in her pocket and followed the dove.

To get to the Tulip Garden by trail, she'd have to cross the Turquoise Thicket, then the Pumpkin Patch, and finally the Sleeping Willow Bosk. As she followed Agatha out of the Ferns into the dense Thicket, phosphorescent leaves lit up the trail with wintry blue light. Sophie could see every scratch and scar on the lucent trunks, including the gash Vex made above her head. Another howl.

Wind suddenly swept through the treetops. Sophie heard muffled grunts–human? animal?–but she didn't stop to find out. Kiko's scream thundering in her head, she fled down the trail, snatching at her dragging cloak. Tripping over shrubs and stumps, she ducked stabbing boughs, flung through tentacles of blue leaves, hearing the wolves howl thrice, until she glimpsed pumpkins and impatient dove between two shining two shining tree trunks–

Someone stood between them. A little girl in a red cape and hood.
"Excuse me? Sophie called. "I need to pass."
The red-headed stranger looked up. It wasn't a child at all. She had cloudy blue eyes, rosy blush on her wrinkled, spotted cheeks, and thick gray hair pulled into two ponytails. Sophie frowned. She loathed old women.
"I said I need to pass."
The woman didn't move.
She marched towards her– "Are you deaf?"