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They said they were happy in this world; if given a chance, they’d stay here instead of going back. But it didn’t take a genius to see that they were only telling a part of the truth. It was easy to see how they deflated just a little each time Crowley said he hadn’t found a way back for them yet. How Kate’s eyes sometimes glazed over in class as she tapped her pen on the desk. How Kaitlyn sometimes just poked at her food instead of eating it during lunch. How, sometimes, both girls whispered to each other, ignoring their friends when they asked what they were whispering about. Not knowing what else they could do, the boys all decided that no matter what, they would make sure to help the girls with whatever they were going through.
Ruggie:
Ruggie stretched as he left the Coliseum, his arm a bit bruised from the hit he took during practice. He yawned a bit as a small wave of tiredness washed over him, and he turned to make his way towards the Mirror Chamber. The rest of his clubmates had decided to stay behind to get in a bit more practice, but Ruggie decided to leave early to get some work done. He wanted to make sure he had enough time to prepare for when Leona got back and inevitably dragged him into a nap. He chuckled at this as he entered the Mirror Chamber, suddenly coming to a stop when he saw who was there.
Kaitlyn sat in front of the Dark Mirror, her hair down instead of up in her usual ponytail. The girl had her knees brought up to her chest, her head lying face down on top of her knees. Behind her, the Dark Mirror rippled as the face spoke to her.
“No such place exists.”
With that, the face disappeared, and Ruggie bit his lip. He really didn’t have the energy for this, but he remembered the promise he made with the others. He let out a sigh and quietly sat next to the girl, gently placing a hand on her shoulder.
“You smell like shit,” Kaitlyn muttered, looking up. “Spelldrive practice?”
“How did you know it was me?” Ruggie asked instead.
“I recognised the smell of an annoying hyena.”
“Kaitlyn.”
“Fine. I could see you enter. Just because my head was on my knees doesn’t mean I couldn’t see you.”
Ruggie hummed at this as silence fell over them. He began to squirm after a while, and, knowing that the rest of the club would be here soon, he spoke up.
“If you don’t want to be seen like this by others,” he began. “I think you should-“
“It still says it doesn’t exist.”
Ruggie blanched at this, turning to see tears start to form in Kaitlyn’s eyes.
“My world does exist,” she sniffed. “It does…”
Ruggie frowned at this before placing an arm around her shoulder and pulling her into a hug. Kaitlyn let out a little squeak of surprise, clearly not expecting Ruggie to be this comforting.
“I thought you two liked it here,” he muttered. “That you guys would rather stay here than go back.”
“We do like it here,” Kaitlyn muttered. “We love it here, but even if there was just a slight chance, we’d also love to visit home too. Visit the people we left behind.”
Ruggie frowned at this before patting her head.
“Do you know what I do when I miss someone?” he asked.
“What?” Kaitlyn replied.
“I think about how proud they are of me for how far I’ve come. I know my Grammy is proud of me for making it into this school, and even when I can’t see her, that keeps me going. So, if you’re ever missing your family, just think. Wouldn’t they be proud of you?”
“I think my mom would love the fact that I have a hot, powerful boyfriend.”
Ruggie’s nose wrinkled in disgust at that, causing Kaitlyn to let out a watery laugh.
“You know,” she chuckled. “You’re surprisingly good at comforting people.”
“Shiheehee~,” Ruggie chuckled. “Just another one of my many talents.”
Kaitlyn then punched his arm, the hyena wincing at the bruise she punched.
“Okay, okay, let’s get out of here before more sappy stuff happens,” he stated, standing and holding out a hand. “I’m sure Kate’s wondering where you are right now.”
“We keep telling everyone that we’re not constantly joined at the hip,” the girl scoffed, but took the hand anyway. “Thanks, Ruggie.”
The hyena grinned as he pulled her to a standing position.
“Anytime.”
Trey:
“Kate?” Trey blinked in surprise as the girl entered the kitchen. “If you’re looking for Adeuce, they’re in the garden.”
“No, I’m not looking for them,” Kate replied, unusually quiet. “I was actually looking for you.”
A worried frown overtook the boy’s face as he set his cooking utensils down.
“Is everything okay?” he asked, hoping it wasn’t anything life-threatening. “Did something happen?”
The girl shook her head and played with her fingers a bit before speaking up again.
“Do you know how to cook?” she asked. “Like food-food, and not sweets?”
Trey, a bit surprised at this question, nodded.
“Of course,” he replied. “I usually enjoy making dinner for Cater and Riddle. Why?”
“I know this is random,” Kate began quietly. “But can you make some baked stuffed shrimp? It…It’s one of my favorite dishes my mom makes.”
Trey froze at that, realization overtaking him.
Oh…
He’s heard stories of how Kate and her mom didn’t really get along sometimes, but he’s also heard stories of them almost being like best friends. Of course, she missed her; she’s been gone from her home for almost an entire year. No matter how much you love the place you’re currently in, you’re bound to get homesick at some point.
Trey smiled warmly at the girl and nodded, Kate letting out a sigh of relief and giving him her own small smile as thanks.
He instantly began to work on getting everything ready, Kate stopping him as he made a move to crumple crackers over the open shrimp.
“You need to crush the crackers in a bowl first,” she explained before rummaging through the fridge. “Then you need to add melted butter, mustard, mayo, and minced garlic. Then you put that on the shrimp and bake it all together.”
Trey watched silently as the girl mixed the ingredients together with her hands before taking a spoon and spreading out the mixture on the shrimp. She then flitted around the kitchen, opening and closing each cabinet before she found the baking trays. She then took a bit longer to find the tinfoil and carefully placed it over the tray before placing the shrimp down. Just as she placed the last one down, the oven went off, and she placed the shrimp in there before setting a timer.
“Well, I guess you didn’t need me to make it after all.”
Kate jumped and turned to face a smiling Trey, her face warming in embarrassment.
“Sorry…” she muttered before joining Trey at the table. “I kinda forgot you were there.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “You seemed to know what you were doing. But, and I hope I’m not overstepping, but is there a reason you wanted me to make that today?”
“I…just felt a little homesick. That’s all.”
“I suspected as much. If you ever need anything, you know you can always come to us.”
“Thanks, Trey, but there are some things you can’t do for us.”
“Like make it possible for you and Kaitlyn to travel between two worlds?”
“Exactly.”
A silence washed over them as the timer ticked down.
“Whenever I feel homesick,” Trey suddenly began. “I like to cook my family’s favorite recipes. It makes-“
“You feel closer to home,” Kate cut him off with a small smile. “I know. And since I’m here, I guess I can teach you some recipes I’ve learned from my family.”
“I’d love to learn them. Maybe it will help with your homesickness.”
“Maybe it will, maybe it won’t. But I’m glad I have friends like you who will help me when I need it.”
Trey grinned at this as he took her hand in his and squeezed it.
“You can count on us.”
Epel:
Epel muttered something incomprehensible as he tugged at his hair, more glitter falling out with each tug. Vil had tried to use a spell to fix Epel’s split ends, but another Pomefiore Freshman had ended up barging into the Lounge and knocking over Vil, the spell instead covering Epel in glitter. What came after was a cacophony of yelling before Epel stormed out, glitter falling in waves behind him. He grumbled curses under his breath as he approached the Courtyard and settled on the bench underneath the apple tree.
“Wow, you look more glittery than usual.”
Epel startled at the voice, so caught up in his irritation that he didn’t even notice Kaitlyn sitting on the bench as well.
“Yeah,” Epel huffed, folding his arms. “A Freshman made Vil mess up his spell so now I’m covered in glitter.”
Kaitlyn laughed at this, but Epel’s frown deepened. It wasn’t her usual laugh; this one sounded like she was holding back tears.
“What’s wrong?” he asked bluntly.
“H-Huh?” Kaitlyn blinked in surprise. “What are you-“
“I ain’t stupid, I’ve heard you laugh enough times to know this ain’t your normal laugh.”
“That’s a kind of creepy thing to say.”
Epel just narrowed his eyes, causing Kaitlyn to sigh.
“It’s just…one of those days,” she admitted quietly. “Where something interesting or funny or scary has happened, and I want to tell my mom about it, but…I can’t.”
“Oh…” Epel frowned, tapping his knee. “Um…I’m not good at comfortin’ people…I'm not sure what ta say…”
“Just…can you just stay here with me for a bit? I think just having a friend next to me will help.”
Epel hummed at this before reaching up and plucking an apple off the tree. Kaitlyn opened her mouth to say something about stealing the apples, but one look from Epel made her shut it with an audible snap. He took out his pocket knife and began to carve the apple, Kaitlyn watching in interest. After a few minutes, he held an apple dragon in his hands. With a small smile, and held it out to her.
“Remember,” he muttered as she took the apple. “If you want to talk about your day, you know who you can talk to.”
“Thanks, Epel,” Kaitlyn beamed. “And thanks for the extra glitter.”
Epel just huffed out a laugh as they settled back into silence once more.
Silver:
“Silver?”
Silver turned away from his horse to see Kaitlyn standing there, rocking back and forth on her heels.
“Kaitlyn,” he greeted with a warm smile. “Are you here to see the horses?”
“Not really,” came the reply. “I was actually looking for you.”
“Me? Why?”
“I’m not sure how personal this question is, but do you ever miss your biological parents?”
Silver froze at this, his fingers tangling in his horse’s mane. Why would she ask that question now? He looked closer at the girl and noticed the dark circles under her eyes. Oh…Now I know…
His hand slipped from his horse as he sat on the ground, patting the space in front of him. Kaitlyn quickly sat down in front of the boy, almost eagerly awaiting his response.
“It’s difficult to say,” Silver began. “I’m sad to know that I’ll never get to know them and ask dad why he saved father and Malleus back then. But I love father, and I wouldn’t trade my childhood with him even if it meant growing up with my biological parents. Um…I hope that was a good enough answer.”
“It was,” Kailtyn nodded. “Sorry for springing that question on you out of the blue, I just…I just miss my family, but I don’t want to live in my old world anymore. I want to live here. But…I feel kinda…guilty? That I don’t really want to go back.”
Silver pursed his lips and nodded. He understood exactly what she meant, and said exactly that with his earlier answer.
“Don’t feel guilty, Kaitlyn,” he smiled. “What you choose is what you believe is the best choice for you. I’m sure that if your family could see you now, they’d be happy that you’re safe, healthy and happy.”
“Thanks, Silver,” Kaitlyn thanked, giving him a smile. “I knew coming to you was the right choice.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Now, I have a bit of time left before I have to head back, so do you want to go for a ride?”
“Absolutely! I’ve never ridden a horse before.”
“You’ll love it, trust me. And don’t forget that if you need anything, you can come to me.”
“Of course. Thanks, Silver.”
Lilia:
“Thanks for coming, Kate,” Lilia beamed as he led the girl into the classroom. “I wrote a song and wanted your opinion on it.”
“Dude, I’ve never seen a song actually written by you!” Kate grinned. “I’m so excited to see what kind of instrument you wrote it for!”
“Actually, it’s for one you haven’t seen me play yet. It’s in the old music room.”
“Old music room? There’s another music…”
She trailed off when Lilia led her into the said room, her feet frozen in shock. Rows of foldable chairs were arranged in a semi circle facing a small wooden podium. One stand stood before the podium while other stands were pushed into a corner, some of them lying on the floor. There was graffiti scratched onto the chairs and stands, a few of them being curses. A display shelf in the back held old and broken trophies that were collecting dust, and right next to it was a grand piano with dust-filled keys. Her breath hitched as she made her way towards the piano and lightly let her fingers glide across the instrument. She heard Lilia rustle around in one of the closets, but ignored him as she pressed down on one of the keys. A lone note sounded throughout the room and she began to play the only song she memorized. When she finished, she noticed that tears were falling onto the keys and Lilia had gone silent. She turned to see the fae staring at her, a worried look on his face.
“Kate?” he asked, taking a tentative step forward. “Are you…okay?”
“This room…” she muttered shakily as she stood. “It reminds me so much of my band class in my own world.”
She made her way to the second row and sat in the first chair, holding her hands up as if she was playing an instrument.
“I left them behind…” she whispered. “I left them all behind…”
Lilia sat the saxophone case he was holding down and sat next to Kate, pulling the taller girl towards him.
“It’s okay,” he muttered as the girl began to shake. “We’ll figure out a way for you to go back and forth between worlds. But for now, we’ll help you through anything, okay?”
Kate nodded against him and pulled back a little.
“Good,” Lilia stated, giving her a fatherly smile. “Now, I’m curious. What instrument did you play? Well, besides piano.”
“C-Clarinet,” came the small answer.
Lilia beamed at this before heading into the closet from before and came out, holding a clarinet case.
“It might not be the same one from your world,” he began, holding said case out. “But with just a bit of magic, it can be fixed up almost brand-new.”
Kate stared at the case wordlessly before taking it and hugging it close.
“Thank you…” she whispered.
Lilia just smiled in reply as he grabbed his saxophone case and led the both of them out of the room.
Cater:
“Kaitly~!” Cater waved at the girl walking down Main Street. “Just the girl I’m looking for! I want your help with-“
He cut himself off when he saw her face. It was decorated with a frown, and she seemed to not notice Cater approaching her.
“Kaitly?”
“Oh, Cater!” Kaitlyn exclaimed in surprise. “Sorry, I just didn’t see you there.”
“No probs! I was actually looking for you. I need your help with something.”
“Can it be another day, Cater? I’m sorry, but I’m just not feeling it today.”
Cater’s smile fully slipped off his face, now fully covered up by a frown.
“It’s one of those days, isn’t it?” he asked.
She nodded in reply and he let out a little hum.
“You have siblings, right?” Kaitlyn asked. “How would you feel if you were in my position?”
“Relieved,” Cater laughed dryly. “At least, at first. I’d be able to relax for a bit without my sisters forcing me to go shopping with them, or try new foods they’ve been experimenting on. Still…I’d eventually end up missing them. They’re my family, after all, and I do love them.”
“You put it perfectly. It’s exactly how I feel. I don’t want to leave this world, at all, but if only I could just…talk to them. Tell them I’m doing okay and that they don’t need to worry about me.”
“I’m sure they know.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Let’s just say it’s sibling intuition.”
Kaitlyn let out a little chuckle at that, causing Cater to smile a little.
“Now, until we do find a way to get you a way back to your world,” he hummed. “You can always come to us for anything you need.”
Kaitlyn beamed at this before hugging Cater.
“Thank you, Cater,” she muttered before backing up. “Now, what exactly did you need me for?”
Malleus:
“You’re quiet, Kaitlyn. Do you not like your food?”
Kaitlyn startled at this before putting on a wide smile.
“No, no it’s great!” she replied, twirling the pasta around on her fork. “It’s just…I wish my family could meet you. They’d love you.”
Malleus seemed to preen at that, but frowned when he noticed Kaitlyn looking down at her plate.
“Has there been no new breakthroughs?” he asked. “I’m surprised Crowley hasn’t found anything yet.”
“He’s trying,” Kaitlyn admitted. “But still nothing.”
Malleus hummed and reached across the table to squeeze Kaitlyn’s hand.
“I wish I could help,” he stated. “But not even the ancient books in Briar Valley talk about different worlds.” An idea suddenly popped into his head and he smiled a little. “I have an idea. If you did introduce me to your family, what would you say about me?”
“That you’re an amazing boyfriend,” Kaitlyn replied, a warm smile growing on her face. “That you’re kind, caring, and one of the most powerful mages in the world.”
“That’s very sweet-”
“Also you’re obsessed with gargoyles, you don’t really understand technology, and you-“
Malleus cut her off with a loud laugh, startling the other patrons nearby.
“There she is,” he smiled. “Are you feeling better?”
“I am,” the girl replied, moving her hand so it was intertwined with the fae’s. “Thank you, Malleus. Truly.”
Riddle:
“Kate, did you hear what I said?”
Kate just hummed in response as she continued to look out the window. The white-haired boy let out an annoyed sigh from his nose, and turned back to the page in front of him. He had agreed to help Kate out with a difficult potion equation, but it was difficult with the girl not paying attention to him at all. She was quieter than usual, showing less enthusiasm about learning than what he was used to. Usually, she’d practically beg him to teach her about the world, but not today. He swallowed nervously and tapped his foot as he realized what this meant. He gently closed his book before placing his folded hands on top of it and cleared his throat.
“Kate,” he began. “It’s one of those days, isn’t it?”
Kate froze at that question before slowly turning towards the boy. Seeing the worried look on his face, she closed her book as well as she nodded.
“I see…” Riddle muttered.
“I’m sorry,” Kate apologized. “I know I asked you to help, it’s just…I guess it reminds me of having study groups with my friends in my world. How we’d all meet up with snacks and drinks to study for an upcoming test and just…hang out.”
“Would it be better if we did that then? I’m sure Ace and Deuce will need the extra study help.”
Kate chuckled at this, a small smile forming.
“I think that’s a great idea, Riddle,” she replied. “It won’t be like studying with my friends in my world, but maybe it’ll be just as fun.”
Riddle preened a bit at that, glad he seemed to be helping Kate feel better. The girl then took a deep breath before letting it out slowly and opening her book again.
“I know comforting people isn’t your strong suit,” she began, catching Riddle off guard. “But, thank you. For what you said.”
Riddle’s face turned red in embarrassment as he quickly opened his book and hid behind it.
“Just turn to page sixty,” he muttered. “And don’t tell anyone about this.”
“Not even your boyfriends?”
“They’ll tease me about how I don’t know how to comfort people.”
“That’s what people do when they love you. I’m sure you’ll figure that out soon.”
“Sevens help me.”
Ace:
“Kaitlyn, come on…” Ace whined, placing his head on her desk. “Can’t you take pity on me?”
“You’re the one who stole Riddle’s food again,” came the short reply. “You deserve that collar.”
Ace frowned at this as he sat up and stared at Kaitlyn, the girl squirming uncomfortably under his gaze.
“What?” she snapped out.
“You’re missing your world,” Ace replied bluntly. “Aren’t you?”
Kaitlyn blinked at this before she frowned.
“You really don’t have any tact, do you?” she asked before sighing. “But, you’re right. Crewel was talking about a potion where it helps grow plants, and I guess it just made me think of my mom.”
Ace nodded his head as encouragement for her to keep speaking.
“Well…” she continued with a small smile. “She loved to garden, and I loved to help her. But…now I’m here, so I can’t help her at all.”
Ace didn’t say anything before standing and holding out his hand.
“Why don’t you come with me to Heartslabyul’s garden?” he suggested. “I know I can’t replace your mom, but maybe helping me do some gardening will cheer you up.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do gardening before,” Kaitlyn blinked. “Is this a punishment for you from Riddle?”
“A punishment for me, but an activity to possibly cheer you up.”
“You just want to cut the work in half, don’t you?”
“Aw come on, give me some credit!”
Kaitlyn laughed at this as she took Ace’s hand and stood.
“I think some gardening will help,” she said. “Just don’t hold my hand all the way there.”
“Why?” Ace smirked. “Think Riddle’s collar will somehow magical transfer to you?”
“No, I’m worried Tsunotarou might get the wrong idea if he sees us and smite you.”
This caused Ace to drop her hand like it was hot coal, causing the girl to laugh.
“Don’t worry, he won’t do that,” she smirked. “Maybe.”
“And here I am trying to make you feel better,” Ace huffed. “This is the thanks I get?”
“Well, it worked, so…thank you. But you still deserve that collar.”
“Harsh, Kaitlyn. Harsh.”
Leona:
“Oi, Pipsqueak. Come with me.”
Kaitlyn barely opened her mouth before Leona grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the Botanical Garden. The girl kept her mouth shut as he led her to the area he used for napping, and practically threw her to the ground. He then plopped himself next to her and leaned back on his hands.
“What the fuck was that about?” Kaitlyn asked, frowning as she sat up. “Did you just kidnap me to watch you take a nap?”
“Hah!” Leona barked out a laugh in reply. “Just sit there and relax, it looks like you need it.”
Realization overtook Kaitlyn as she remembered how quiet she had been all day. It was another one of those days where she wished she could contact her family, so she wasn’t in a good mood since the morning. She glanced over at the lion, whose eyes had closed.
“Is this your way of trying to comfort me?” she asked in disbelief.
“Is it working?” Leona asked, opening an eye.
“Unbelievable. You’re horrible at this.”
Leona just shrugged as a comfortable silence washed over them. Kaitlyn allowed herself to relax as she took in the garden around her, a small smile slipping onto her face.
“You know, Leona?” she hummed. “I think it is working.”
“I come here if something’s bothering me,” the lion stated. “It usually helps.”
“I thought you just came here to nap?”
“I can do both.”
Kaitlyn let out a small chuckle at this as they delved into silence again. Even though he didn’t say it out loud, Kaitlyn knew that Leona actually cared about her and Kate. He just had a difficult time showing it.
“Thank you for this, Leona,” she whispered.
She only got a grunt in reply, but she knew that was all she needed to hear.
Rook:
“What a beaute day, Trickster.”
“What do you want, Rook?” Kate muttered, burying her head into her knees. “Today’s not a day for your randomness.”
Rook frowned at this as he took a seat next to the girl, placing a hand on her shoulder. They sat in silence for a bit before Kate spoke up.
“Rook…” she began. “You have older siblings, right?”
“Oui,” came the reply. “Why?”
“Well…I left an older brother back in my world. We were buddy-buddy, not in the slightest, but we did get along…most of the time.”
“You miss talking to him, don’t you?”
“Oui…I miss talking to him about my day, miss talking to him about a book or show I’d think he’d like, miss playing games against him. Hell, I even miss when he’d sometimes barge into my room to show me a random video he found.” Her voice began to crack as she held back tears began to form. “I just wish there was a way I could communicate with my family.”
“I wish I could help, Kate. I would love to meet your family.”
“I think you’d weird them out.”
“Comme c’est impoli! I think I’m rather charming!”
“Only Vil thinks that.”
“And I trust mon cher’s every word!”
Kate chuckled at that, giving Rook a small smile.
“I hope this isn’t a weird question to ask,” she began. “But…if you don’t mind, can I treat you like an older brother?”
“Oui, Trickster,” Rook replied with a warm smile. “Whatever you need, just ask.”
“Then can you get Vil to stop trying to give me makeup?”
“Non.”
“Damn it.”
Deuce:
“Hey, Kate,” Deuce began, approaching the for after class let out. “Want to go for a ride?”
“What?” Kate asked, blinking in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“You just seemed down, and I know a ride down to the ocean always cheers me up.”
“Wait, am I going to ride a blastcycle?”
“Yup! Idia gave me one for helping him out with something, so I thought you’d want to experience it.”
“Oh, hell yeah! That sounds great!”
Deuce grinned at her and soon the two of them were speeding down the road. Kate laughed as the wind whipped her hair around and she tightened her hold on Deuce’s waist. Scenery flew by them, and before she knew it, they had arrived at the ocean.
“Wow…” Kate breathed as she looked around. “It’s so different to the one in my world, but yet, the same.”
“Did you go to the beach often in your world?” Deuce asked.
“Mhm! A couple of times during the summer, actually. It was only an hour drive from my house, so we used to spend the whole day there.” Her smile began to dim a little. “We’d get food at the surrounding restaurants, and then eat ice cream while watching the sunset. It was so…peaceful.”
Deuce didn’t know what to say as Kate became quiet, her gaze on the water.
“I-If you’re not doing anything this summer…” he began. “Ace and I were thinking of getting Trey, Cater and Riddle to come with us to the beach. Riddle’s never been, and I think the others wouldn’t mind if you, Kaitlyn and Grim came with us.”
Kate turned to him and gave him a smile.
“Thanks, Deuce,” she thanked. “I think we would love that. And…thank you. For this. I needed to get out of my head for a bit.”
“Anything for my best friend.”
Kate blinked as she watched Deuce stand next to her.
“Best friend, huh?” she smirked. “I thought that title fell to Ace?”
“He’s my boyfriend, not my best friend, “ Deuce replied with a smirk of his own. “He can’t be both.”
“Uh, actually, he can. But I can also call him your jealous friend.”
“Huh?”
“This is the second time you brought someone here that wasn’t him. I think he needs to go on a ride too.”
Deuce blinked at this, before a look of horror came over him.
“Ace is going to kill me,” he muttered.
“Not if your best friend can help it,” Kate smirked, clapping Deuce on the shoulder. “Let’s head back. Oh, and can you go a bit faster too? It feels like I’m on a roller coaster, and I love it.”
“Of course. Anything to cheer you up.”
Vil:
“Aha, there you are,” Vil hummed, cornering Kate as she left her class. “I need you as a reference.”
“A reference for what?” Kate asked, raising her brow.
“What color dress goes best with blue eyes. Come. Follow me.”
Kate rolled her eyes at this and soon she was in front of Vil, modeling different types of dresses.
“Is this for a new play coming up?” she asked as she twirled in an emerald green dress. “Who’s gonna wear the dress? You?”
“Who else?” came the reply. “No, the green doesn’t really work…try this violet one.”
Kate snagged the dress and made her way into the changing room, quickly appearing after a few minutes.
“They look kinda old-fashioned,” she realized, almost tripping over the hem of this dress. “Is it a period piece?”
“Oh?” Vil hummed, motioning for her to twirl. “You seem knowledgeable about plays.”
“I was in theater back in my world. It was a lot of fun, and I really liked my teacher. I had a few friends in my class too, and we have a lot of inside jokes from our…plays…”
She trailed off into silence, causing Vil’s eyes to look up into hers. She had slouched a little and tears were beginning to form. His eyes widened at this and he took her hand to lead her off the platform.
“You’re missing your world, aren’t you?” he asked, taking out a handkerchief. “You don’t have to hide it in front of me.”
“Thanks,” she whispered, wiping her eyes. “I’m sorry if this is ruining your reference.”
“Nonsense. People are allowed to cry, it’s not unsightly.”
“You literally said earlier this year that it was.”
“Well…people can change.”
“Oh my Seven.”
Kate laughed a little at this as she handed Vil back his handkerchief.
“Thanks, Vil,” she thanked. “I needed that cry. Now, let’s find that dress, huh?”
With that, she headed off into the changing room, Vil blinking in surprise.
“You do know that if you ever need to talk to someone, you can always visit Pomefiore, right?” he asked.
“Of course,” Kate replied as she exited the room in a golden dress. “Just remind me to wear sunglasses because your dorm is bright as hell. Anyway, what do you think about this dress?”
Vil grinned at it, his eyes sparkling.
“Perfect.”
Sebek:
Sebek shifted uncomfortably on his feet as he waited for Kaitlyn to leave the Alchemy Lab. She had promised to help him plan out his and Silver’s wedding when it was time. Eventually, she appeared, and Sebek was about to shout her name, but stopped when he noticed her downcast face. He bit his lip at this, before an idea entered his mind. Placing down his bag, he took out a piece of paper and his magic pen. Muttering a spell, the paper folded itself into an origami dragon and flew over to Kaitlyn, the girl startling in surprise as it landed on her shoulder. She looked over to Sebek, who just gave her a nod in greeting. A smile bloomed on her face as she took the origami dragon in her hands and made her way over to him.
“You made this for me?” she asked.
“Well…” Sebek muttered in embarrassment. “You looked down, and I can’t have a sad human plan my and Silver’s wedding! It would end up atrocious!”
“Just say you were worried about your friend, Sebek.”
“Fine…I…wanted to comfort you. It must be hard being away from your world, so I have promised myself to watch over you and Kate.”
“You literally avoided us like the plague not three months ago.”
“A-A lot can happen in three months!”
Kaitlyn laughed and held the origami dragon closer.
“Thank you, Sebek,” she thanked. “Now, let’s go. We have a wedding to plan.”
Idia:
“You’re not on your A-game today, Kate,” Idia frowned as he won another race. “This is the fourth time I’ve beaten you in this game. You usually don’t take an L this many times.”
“Sorry,” Kate muttered. “This is just bringing up memories of playing games with my friends back in my world.”
“Oh…did you take L’s with them too?”
“Not all the time, but one of my friends would kick all of our asses at this one fighting game. No one could beat him, I think even he could give you a run for your money.”
“Oho~ Whenever Crowley finds a way back to your world, I’ll challenge him.”
Kate snickered at this as she went to select a new game. Idia bit his lip before speaking up again.
“But srsly, are you okay?” he asked. “I-If you need to be alone, I could-”
“No,” Kate cut him off. “I’d rather have you here, if it’s not too much trouble.”
She soon picked a new game and leaned against Idia, the boy flinching in surprise.
“I just need to hang out with my friends in this world,” she muttered, smiling a little. “To hang out with the ones who care about me here.”
“New title unlocked,” Idia muttered. “Kate’s friend.”
“Have been for a while, you know.”
Idia let out a chuckle at this as he prepared to play the game Kate had chosen.
“Well, then if you ever need help on a quest, you know which friend to turn to.”
Jade:
“Jade, why did you bring me to Mostro Lounge?” Kate asked, raising a brow. “I’m not making another deal with Azul.”
“Ouch, Kate,” Jade replied in a fake hurt tone. “Here I am, trying to cheer you up with a delightful dinner, and you’re accusing me of such travesties!”
Kate raised a brow at the eel as the two of them were led to a table in the corner, menus already lying in wait for them.”
“Jade…” she began. “How did you know?”
“Know what?” the eel hummed, looking at his menu.
“That I was having an off day?”
“I pay close attention to everyone in this school.”
“Uh-huh…”
An uncomfortable silence fell over them, before Kate let out a snort.
“I’m sorry,” she chuckled when Jade gave her a look. “I just can’t take this seriously. Never would I have thought you’d take me out to dinner to cheer me up. I just thought you’d shove mushrooms down my throat.”
“Have some faith in me,” Jade mock gasped. “I’m not an animal!”
“Well…”
“I’m not.”
Kate laughed at that as she gave Jade a smile. The eel blanched at this before grinning back at her.
“Still, thank you, Jade,” she thanked. “It’s nice to just sit, eat, and talk with someone. Helps take my mind off of things.”
“If you ever want to go to dinner again, just let me know,” Jade said. “Now, I think I’ll get the mushroom burger. What about you?”
“The sushi.”
“Oh? And with what meat?”
“Eel.”
Azul:
“I don’t know, is this too much?”
Azul twirled around in his admittedly frilly outfit while Kate watched, sitting on his bed.
“You look like you’re a flamboyant dancer,” came the reply. “Either that, or a dying Victorian child.”
“Okay, so that’s a no on this outfit,” Azul huffed before heading into the closet. “And you’re just a ray of sunshine today.”
“Sorry…”
“Off day?”
“Yeah…”
“I see…”
He then emerged from his closet, dressed in a biker jacket with a helmet that completely covered his face.
“What the fuck?” Kate blinked in surprise.
“A birthday gift from Floyd,” Azul replied, taking the helmet off. “Too much?”
“Azul, if you’re trying to cheer me up by dressing in stupid outfits, I think it’s working,” Kate chuckled. “I honestly thought you’d make a contract that ordered me to be happy.”
“I’m not that heartless! And, well, you are my friend, and I like to see my friends happy.”
“How unusually sweet of you, Azul. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say we were friends before.”
“You saw my humiliating dream, so that makes us friends. Although, I still haven’t seen yours.”
“And you never will. Still, thank you for doing your best to cheer me up.”
“Anytime, Kate.”
“Now, back to the issue at hand. Your outfit for your date with Idia. Just wear something that doesn’t make you look more like an octopussy than you already are.”
“I’m never going to escape that nickname, am I?”
“No. No you are not.”
Floyd:
“Look out, Shrimpy Two!”
Kaitlyn barely looked up in time just to see a basketball fly towards her. She squeaked and ducked, the ball flying right over her head.
“Floyd!” she screeched as the eel laughed. “What the hell?!?”
“Aw, Shrimpy Two, you’re not yourself today!” Floyd exclaimed. “Do you know what that means?!?”
“Floyd, no-“
“It means I have to squeeze ya!”
Faster than Kaitlyn could blink, the eel wrapped his arms around the girl in a tight hug. She struggled a bit, causing Floyd to only tighten his hold.
“Don’t try to escape, Shrimpy Two,” he muttered calmly. “I can tell you need this today.”
“H-How-?”
“Eel intuition.”
Kaitlyn became silent at this, before letting out a little sniff and hugging Floyd back.
“Thank you, Floyd,” she whispered. “You’re a strange, strange guy, but…you knew exactly what I needed.”
“Of course,” Floyd grinned. “I’ll always help out the Little Shrimpies with anything they need.”
Kalim:
Kalim whistled as he practically skipped out of Sam’s Mystery Shop, the bag he was holding swinging with each step. He had finally found some new cookware he wanted to get for Jamil, considering the ones in the dorm were practically falling apart. He beamed at the idea of his boyfriend using a gift from him, and the smile on his face only grew wider.
As he approached the path that would lead him to Main Street, he stopped short at the figure standing there. Kaitlyn was holding up her phone with a frustrated frown, tears pricking at her eyes.
“Kaitlyn?” he asked, startling the girl. “Is everything okay?”
“Oh, hi Kalim,” she greeted. “I was just hoping that some kind of magic could let me reach my family.”
“Oh…”
Kalim trailed off before a grin overtook his face and he surged forward. Kaitlyn let out a squawk when Kalim squeezed her in a hug, humming a little.
“Whenever I’m sad, I always hug someone!” he exclaimed cheerfully. “I may not be your family, but I’ll always be your friend! If you ever have any trouble, you can always come to me!”
Kaitlyn, taken by surprise, just giggled at this and hugged Kalim back.
“Thanks, Kalim,” she muttered. “Never change.”
Jamil:
“Thanks for helping me with this, Kate,” Jamil thanked as he placed a box down. “Kalim’s parents really love to send him gifts.”
“Yeah…” Kate said quietly, placing her box down. “I can tell.”
Jamil turned to see the girl frowning at the boxes, realization flooding his brain.
“I’m sure your family would send you gifts if they could.”
This got the girl’s attention as Jamil approached her, motioning for her to hold out her hand. She did, and he placed a golden necklace in it.
“What-?” she began before being cut off by Jamil.
“I might not be your real family,” he began, closing her hand around the necklace. “But, I’ll gladly step in to fill the role.”
“Why?”
“I never thought two Otherworlders would help me figure out my relationship with Kalim, or even stop me from destroying myself when I Overblotted. You and Kaitlyn are two of my closest friends, and whatever you two need, I’ll be there for you.”
“Jamil…I think that’s the nicest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”
“I don’t say stuff like that very often. Remember where we are.”
“I know, I know. Still…I think it’s sweet. And, thank you. For everything.”
“Anytime, Kate. Anytime.”
Jack:
Jack huffed as his tail swished irritably. He had promised to help Kaitlyn study for the upcoming History of Magic test, but the girl was barely paying attention. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped himself when Kaitlyn let out a sigh.
It was one of those days.
“Um…would you like to hear about the cactus I’m growing?” he asked.
This seemed to startle Kaitlyn out of her thoughts, and she turned to the world in confusion.
“What?” she asked.
“You just seemed upset, and I usually talk about the plants I’m raising to cheer myself up. So I thought that would work for you.”
“That’s…really thoughtful of you, Jack. Thank you. It’s just…”
“One of those days.”
“Exactly. If you don’t mind…you can talk about your plants. It’ll probably get my mind off of things.”
“Is…that all? I’m sure I can find another way to cheer you up.”
“No…just having you talk about your plants will be enough. You don’t have to do a grand gesture to cheer me up, you know. Just…do what you think is best.”
“I thought I was the one who was supposed to cheer you up, yet you’re giving me a pep talk.”
“It works both ways.”
“You’re so difficult.”
“But I still appreciate your efforts to cheer me up, Jack. I really do. You’re such a big softie.”
“…Shut up…”
Ortho:
“Ortho?”
Ortho tilted his head as Kaitlyn approached him, a frown on her face.
“Hey, Kaitlyn!” he greeted. “What’s up?”
“This might be a weird request…but is it okay if I act like your big sister today?”
Ortho hummed in confusion as the girl nervously fidgeted. Realization hit the humanoid and he nodded enthusiastically.
“You have a younger brother, Kaitlyn?” he asked.
“Two, actually,” came the reply. “I just…miss them. I miss being the older sister, a-and I just thought, maybe…”
“Anything to make you feel better, Kaitlyn! I’ll be your younger brother for as long as you’d like!”
“Thank you, Ortho, but I think only today should be enough. I think Idia would kill me if it was any longer.”
“Whatever you say, Big Sis!”
“…This might have been a mistake…”
Grim:
“You two have been very quiet,” Grim huffed from where he was lying on the floor. “You’re not plotting anything, are you?”
“Not now, Grim,” Kaitlyn frowned from where she was curled up. “We’re not in the mood for whatever you have planned.”
“I’m sure Aduece can keep you company for a while,” Kate muttered from where she was scrolling on her phone. “Just…tone down your enthusiasm for today.”
Grim pouted at this before perking up as an idea came into his mind. He bolted out of Ramshackle, and was gone for a few hours before he scrambled back into the dorm.
“Kate!” he shouted. “Kaitlyn! Come quick! Hurry!”
This startled the girls into action, both of them scrambling after the monster, only to stop in their tracks as the front door opened.
Off in the grassy area next to the building lay a few tables, a large banner spelling out “Welcome!” hanging above it. Food and drinks decorated the table, along with one full of bags. Their friends stood around the tables, various expressions on their faces as they noticed the girls.
“Wha-?” Kate blanched, looking down at Grim. “What is this?”
“Well, y’know…” he muttered, his ears drooping a bit. “You two just looked so upset, and I can’t have upset minions, so I asked around for help.”
“Sure took me by surprise when Grimmy actually asked for help,” Cater laughed. “But, we all put our heads together to come up with this!”
“You two haven’t exactly been properly welcomed to our world,” Riddle explained. “Considering this year’s past events.”
“That’s why we thought this party would be best!” Ortho chirped happily. “We’d like to officially welcome you to Twisted Wonderland!”
The other boy exclaimed in agreement, and both girls looked down towards Grim. The monster was looking away, face red with embarrassment. The girls then grabbed him and squeezed him close, ignoring his protests.
“Thank you, Grim,” Kaitlyn whispered. “Thank you for wanting to cheer us up.”
“And thank you everyone else,” Kate thanked, turning to their friends. “I’m glad we met you all.”
“Alright, enough of this sappiness,” Leona yawned. “That meat over there is gonna get cold if we don’t start eating.”
“You’re always ruining a good moment, Leona,” Ruggie snickered. “But I am starving.”
Both Kate and Kaitlyn laughed as they joined their friends in the celebration, knowing that they wouldn’t trade them for the world.