Twisted Wonderland 2

Quite The Misdeed

Ernesto and Gino make a break for it and try to escape past Ace and Ortho. They leap back onto the stage and run for the exit.

Ace groans "Okay, I've had it up to HERE chasing you around!"

Ace leaps onto the stage and unleashes a spell, causing a bunch of items to fall and Gino and Ernesto find their path blocked by piles of items.

Ernesto clutches his fists. "All our escape routes are blocked off..."

Gino determinedly smirks. He swings his hammer, trying to hit the boys but almost hitting Ernesto in the process.

The fox leaps out of the way. "Stop that, you ninny! Are you trying to hit ME with your hammer? Aim for them!"

Gino apologetically lowers his ears.

Ace rubs the back of his neck. "Magic that's barely worth mentioning, and a hammer that can't tell the difference between friend and foe..."

Ortho tilts his head. "Actually, is it just me, or has Gino's hammer ONLY been falling on Ernesto?"

"I think you're right..." Ace grins. "Joke's on us for taking these two clowns seriously. Let's wrap this circus up. Take this!"

Ace fires a spell that hits Ernesto and Gino and the two collapse to the floor.

"Curses..." Ernesto flattens his ears and glares at the boys. "Doesn't matter how fancy your school is... You're still just snot-nosed brats! So how... how are you getting the better of us?"

Ace folds his arms with a smirk. "Easy. Everything we know, we learned from that fancy school you keep sneering at. We'd never lose to a couple of guys too cowardly to face us head-on."

"You might as well admit we've won." Ortho lowers himself to the stage. "You could've avoided this whole ordeal if you'd have just listened when we were trying to reason with you."

"Now turn everyone back into people!" Ace demands.

Ernesto's eyes flit from the boys to the floor, clutching his staff tightly. He stays quiet for a long moment until he starts laughing, surprising everyone, even Gino. "You got me. Your power has left me awestruck!"

Gino hastily smiles and nods.

"What?" Ace scoffs. "Buttering us up now isn't gonna get you off the hook."

Ernesto places a hand to his chest. "Oh yes, I'm well aware. We've made a tremendous, horrible mistake. We would never be so shameless as to beg on hands and knees for forgiveness."

Ace and Ortho exchange a suspicious glance.

"Okay, something's fishy about this one-eighty." Ace says.

Ortho nods. "Yeah. He looks pretty beaten-up, but if we let him get in close, he could still attack."

"Why, I would never!" Ernesto exclaims. "The battle's already decided, is it not? Even if I did try to run or fight, I'm no match for you scholars. You've won, fair and square. Goodness, have I ever underestimated you Night Raven College scholars!" The fox twirls his staff with a mischievous grin. "Now I realize more than ever... just how elite you are! How far out of your league I am!"

Ace tilts his head. "Out of our league?" He pauses, his mood starting to shift. "You're right about THAT. You've finally come to accept reality, huh?"

Ernesto rises to his knees. "Oh, yes! I assure you, you drilled that lesson into me quite thoroughly! Your magic was quite astounding. I could spend my whole life striving for that level of precise power and never reach it. Who's this extraordinary mage? Why, it's Ace! Who could stand in the way of his overflowing talent? No one, that's who!"