My Dream

Staff Meeting

The four exited the Dark Mirror into an empty mirror chamber. "I wonder where the headmaster is." Gwen said.

"Probably in his office." Ace pointed out. "Uh, I think it's this way." Ace led the group through the halls and to the doorway of the Headmaster's office. They could hear shouting coming from inside.

Gwen reached out and knocked, but got no response. Gwen looked back at the other three. "Should we just... open it?" Deuce and Ace shrugged. Gwen took a deep breath and opened the door.

The group was greeted by the sight of Headmaster Crowley being strangled by a man with white and black hair. "You let a defenseless girl go off on her own with two teenage boys?!" The man demanded. "What were you thinking, Dire?!"

"I told her she didn't have to go!" Crowley choked out, his face starting to turn purple.

"Sh-should we come back later?" Gwen asked. All eyes in the room turned to her, and she realized Crowley and the man choking him weren't the only ones in the room.

There was an older man holding a cat, a large man with muscles, and... "Little demon!" Sam swooped Gwen up in a hug. "You're just in time to stop Crewel from ensuring we never get paid again!"

"See!" Crowley said as the other man released his throat. "She's back! And she's fine!" He gasped, taking deep breaths as he massaged his throat.

Crowley's attacker strode across the room to Gwen, looking her over. "Oh thank heavens you're in one piece puppy!" He said. "Well, maybe not your clothes, but no matter!" He glared at the boys. "I trust you mutts kept your hands to yourself?"

"Don't worry!" Gwen assured him. She pulled out the crystal from her pocket. "We got it all taken care of."

"Eh?!" Crowley looked stunned. "You really went to Dwarfs' Mine to find a magic crystal?"

"Huh?" The four students asked, confused.

Crowley looked sheepish as he fixed his clothing. "I really didn't think... you'd not only go but then come back with a crystal in hand." He explained. "I quietly completed the paperwork for your expulsion."

"Dire!" The staff said in unified exasperation.

"Headmaster Crowley!" Gwen echoed.

"Nga! The nerve of this guy!" Grim hissed. "While we were off fighting some crazy beast!"

"Beast?" Crowley asked. The rest off the staff exchanged looks.

"What do you mean by beast?" The elderly man asked.

"There was a monster there!" Ace exclaimed. "It was super gross and crazy strong, it was awful!"

"Could you explain in more detail?" Crowley asked.

After the four gave their explanation, the muscled man bolted across the room to grab the black and white haired man. "Divus, honey, he signs our paychecks!" He reminded.

"Ashton, darling, he sent her into a death trap with no means of defense or communication!" Replied the struggling man.

Crowley ignored the attempt on his life. "A mysterious monster living in a coal mine." He repeated. "The four of you worked together to defeat it and bring back a magic crystal?"

"We didn't really work together..." Ace said.

"It's more like our goals were aligned..." Deuce continued.

Crowley burst out sobbing, making everyone pause what they were doing and awkwardly look at him. Even the man who kept trying to kill Crowley paused, though he still looked annoyed.