"(Y/n!) (y/n!), (Y/N!)" For a fairy, Jules is loud. You sit at your desk in your room, tapping the end of the pen onto an empty page. Combat is not the only thing you need to learn while in the dungeons, basic English, math and science too.
Although it does depend on what creature you are. Say a witch would be placed in a coven, limiting their power to one of their choosing. Witches have different duties to yourself. You are placed under 'magical being' since you aren't a demon, fairy, witch, animal...or jester.
There are only two jesters you are aware of. Rascal and Nogo.
While you sit, the only thing concerning you is how to start the next chapter of your book.
Then you hear the fairy's cry coming from down the corridor, shouting your name. Your ear prick up, this certainly snaps you out of your thoughts.
Your head whips around at once when the door bursts open. In runs Jules, and your attention is instantly drawn to the slashes and tears on her purple wings. She flaps them franticly as she scurries to your side then hides behind you.
"It's Arius! He scratched me! He scratched me!"
"What!?" The sore sight of your best friend's injured wings flips you into a rage.
"He's chasing me, he's coming!" Jules has always been a curious adventurous soul, even if it got her into trouble.
Suddenly a tall shadow darkens the room. Arius.
Arius is an 8th year. He also has the body of a wild cat and...one of the most threatening that work for the Emperor..
"How dare you steal my ration bar Juliet!" He roars. "It was the purple kind, my favourite!" The broad and slinky cat stands in the doorframe with his arms crossed.
"Hey!" You cry. "Don't talk to my best friend like that!"
Arius snaps his eyes over to yours and narrow. "Oh and who are you?"
"It's (y/n)" You attempt to sound brave but it is hard when a creature to tall and scary stands in the doorway.
"Well listen then (y/n) your friend Juliet here STOLE my BAR!"
You look behind you and capture a glimpse of Jules, she glances back at you with a whimper and an 'I'm sorry' face.
"Now it's time to but you both back in your place. Nobody steals from me and no one gets away with it!"
Arius' tail flicks in rage and the two of you whimper, excepting your fates as fresh cat meat when suddenly, Arius drops to the floor, unconscious. Standing behind his sleeping body, stands a half-blue, half-red 4th year demon, someone you have only caught glimpses of in the past. Whoever it is, they have their finger stuck in their mouth.
"Oops." The demon mutters sarcastically then looks up at us with naturally narrow eyes. "Are you two okay?"
"No my wings are torn!" Jules cries as she twists her head back to view the damage. You turn around and place a hand on her shoulder.
"Why the heck did you decide to steal from Arius? You know we were told not to mess with the 8th years!"
"I don't know...I thought that we could share it." From the pocket in her dress, she retrieves a purple ration. You have always been jealous of her dress, being able to decide what colour, style and length she wants it to be whenever she likes, the same for her hair. It isn't made of fabric either, more like a magical substance that just fades out at the bottom, but it is beautiful. Usually Jules is found in pastel colours, a length and style suitable for combat and usually a light pink. She has always liked her hair longer, a pastel purple.
You smile at the thoughtfulness, then look dreading at her torn wings. Jules flings her hands down in an outrage.
"If my wings don't heal in time or properly, I will have to go to Emperor Nogo, he will take them away for sure! I'll never fly again!"
The fairy falls to the floor in a sobbing heap.
"Wait, wait, wait!" The demon at the door stops us. You almost forgot they are still there, they gesture into the room. "If I may?"
You and Jules nod.
The demon steps inside, stepping over Arius. "Don't worry! I am currently learning how to make spells with Miss Gardenia, today's class was the 'mending' spell. I have some right here in my bag, do you think I could try it on your wings?"
Jules stops in thought. "Well I guess so, are you any good? I don't think I have got anything to lose."
"Excellent!" They say. "Also, apologies for the guy, I can take him with me. My ability is based around the body functions, he will wake up soon and I'll make sure we won't remember anything."
"Thank you for saving us," you say, "I don't know what he would have done if you hadn't come."
"Oh it's really no problem," they say whilst rummaging through a bag full of clunking and clanging, "us fourth years have to look out for you third years right?" The demon then retracts a vile with a pink and bubbly substance inside, they then hand it over to Jules who instantly takes the cog out and sniffs the liquid.
She tries so hard not to make a face, but fails.
"I'm sorry it doesn't taste or smell great, but I promise it will help." The fairy looks at the demon who gives her a reassuring nod. She down the entire vile.
"Ew!"
Both you, Jules and the demon watch in anticipation, not taking our eyes off the wings.
"I feel...I feel...weird."
Then, slowly but surely, the tears and scratches mend themselves, and at last the wings look as good as new.
"Yay! I won't have to go to Emperor Nogo! Thank you!" Jules flings herself at the demon, engulfing them in a hug so strong that suddenly, the two of them fall back and land on the floor. "Sorry!"
You laugh and so does the demon. They get up and brush themselves off. "That's okay, really it was my pleasure to help. It's Kurt by the way. I guess I'll be seeing you guys around, hopefully with no more injuries."
"Thanks Kurt!" You call as they give the two of you a smile then leave, taking Arius with them. Soon after, you then spot a faint tinge spreading across Jules' smiling face. You elbow her. "Someone's blushing."
"No I am not! No no no, no, no, no!" She crawls into her bottom bunk of the bunk bed you share, spreading her wings to cover herself. The two of you share a room, all the third years do. In fact, until you reach your 9th year, you are stuck sharing rooms. You don't mind though, you enjoy the company of others. Soon you and Jules will turn 13 and move in with the fourth years, becoming one too. Unfortunately, as soon as you do, Kurt turns 14 and moves onto their fifth year. Though this doesn't stop the forming friend between the three of you to eventually blossom.
The memory fades away, leaving you back at your desk, tapping the back of your pen against a blank sheet of paper in the Shadow Realm. Quickly, a smile surfaces on your face, then disappears.
Though the warmth of the memory lingers in your heart.
...
What am I supposed to do?
You had too quickly accepted Nogo's mission without thinking carefully of his conditions. Sneak some of Rascal's negative energy? The jester, as...weirdly acrobatic and vibrant as his personality is, he is incredibly skilled, insanely aware and far to intelligent for you to be able to complete this order of Nogo's without Rascal noticing.
Remembering the Emperor's words; 'His negative energy is different, precious. After I get my hands on it, I will be able to get the rest, therefore announcing you as the number one ranked subordinate to me.' What will happen once Nogo gets the rest? What does it mean?
Nothing good.
If on the rare occasion that you manage to do this without Rascal's knowledge, there is no denying that the joker will find out at some point and turn against you.
And how is his energy different to yours? They are both jesters, perhaps it could have something to do with that, but you do not want Rascal to turn against you. For some reason, you value his companionship, being the only ones sane and serious enough to do something about the Emperor's revival.
This is the biggest project known in all the dungeons. Compared to this, the other missions seem so miniature now. Drops of negative energy compared to a river flow.
And...what if you do not do what is being asked of you?
You do not want to imagine.
It is your first fight with the Glitter Force tomorrow, or, well, today, seeing as you have been up all night planning your attack, unfortunately unable to work through the brain fog. Winging it seems like the best way.
The time is 4:30 am now, Brooha and Brute have finally stopped playing cards and practically screaming at each other when they lose, begging for a rematch. Then there has been this rustling, scratching or shuffling all night, from down the hall.
You figure you have had enough of sitting around waiting for the non-existent sleepiness to overtake so you get up and make your way to your door, then peer down the corridor.
Of course the noise is coming from the room at the end.
And that of course means your friendly neighbourhood jester is only metres away.
You think back to yesterday, the way Rascal had held your wrist, the explosion of butterflies and some sort of energy that ignited between the two of you. Was it the two of you? Or was it just you? Surely he had felt something, otherwise he would not have frozen in his tracks or glanced at you before teleporting.
Something is going on down there. Rascal has to be up to something.
So you decide to hover down the corridor and arrive at the opening. You have not thought about returning since the last time you were here. Sure enough, you see two of the three buffoon noses, each attached to a section of yellow and red hair, moving behind a pile of books.
Curiosity bursts in your mind. "What are you doing?"
In shock, Rascal leaps up, throwing his hands to his face and gasps, "Oh noooo! I didn't see you there, you gave me such the fright!"
"Sarcasm? You aren't funny."
Rascal comes forward from the pile of books and meets you in the middle of the room, head tilting. "And you aren't welcome in here."
You shrug. "I hear noise while I'm trying to sleep, I have to see what's going on." To be honest, you would rather not be asleep right now, anything would be better than having a nightmare.
Oh to admit that to Rascal.
"What's wrong?" He says to you, stepping closer. "Worried you haven't gotten enough sleep to challenge the Glitter Force?"
"Sleep or no sleep Rascal, I will be perfectly fine to fight."
His mouth falls into a wide smile. "Arrogance doesn't suit you (y/n)."
With a swing, you retract your sword from your waistband and hold it up in front of him. The joker's face falls as he takes a step back.
You take a step forward. He takes a step back. This continues.
"Do not even dare call me arrogant." You threaten softly, until the joker's back meets a stone wall. "I am not in charge here, and you are not in charge here, but seeing as you believe you are, the only one acting arrogant here is you."
You continue to hold the tip of the sword up to his jaw. You aren't actually going to hurt him, but something needs to prove your strength and power.
Trying not to lose focus from his eyes, your thoughts begin running away and thinking back to yesterday. You are so close to his face! Feels weird.
Rascal's face remains in an emotionless grin. "Are you expecting an apology (y/n)? You know I'm not going to give you one."
"At least you know you owe me one."
With a flick of the hand, Rascal summons his own sword-like fencing epée and knocks yours out of his face.
Rascal smirks then hums. "And what would I be apologising for?"
"I think you might already have an understanding. Calling me arrogant was a big mistake and yesterday's field trip was not approved by me."
You probably should not have said that, this way both you and Rascal's memories will be recharged and immediately reminded of the certain spark.
You see his shoulders stiffen, then, surprisingly, he falls back into laughter.
Once settling down, he says, "Dear me, entitlement has gotten the better of you hasn't it? I don't apologise, for I have done nothing wrong."
The two swords then clash together.
"My, my! Wasting all your energy on me right before your big fight? I don't think that's very wise."
Frowning, you grit your teeth, then...release your sword.
"Good decision. I don't have time for chaos~."
"Yeah, you can talk to me like that Rascal, it won't affect me." You have not forgotten the real reason you came here. What is Rascal doing behind all these books? You then switch your eyes over to the pile, "now speaking of chaos, what have you been doing in here?"
The grin on the joker's face fades a little, suspiciousness flooding his face. "Nothing that concerns you." Out reaches his hand and negative energy flows out and to behind the books. "You won't be finding anything."
Disappointment floods you, knowing the jester has just gotten rid of anything that could be interesting back there.
You raise an eyebrow, then proceed to walk out of the room.
You are going to find out what he's doing. You will.
--
This was super fun to write let me know whether you would like more of Jules and Kurt. 😊 I probably will be doing more memories since it adds to the storyline. Also I'd like to know which Glitter Force member you would like me to concentrate on assigning our main character to, since all the villains usually have consistent fights with a certain member. I'm thinking Glitter Sunny since Lucky fights Ulric, Peace – Brute, Spring – Brooha, and Breeze – Rascal.
Another quick note, I've got an intense load of school stuff for end of term coming up and probably won't get many chapters out. As soon as the next week or two is over, this is all I'll be focusing on :)
Feel free to check out other works of mine, including my novel "Violet." Posting already written chapters every couple days
Exciting stuff coming! Please vote, share and comment, I'm keen to get this story out there