After being bugged by Azul and Floyd to try ang get Jade to save their lives from him, take a break. The Prefect conceded with a free meal in place
Yuu/Mc tired from being mentally tug around by Azul and Floyd: Go touch some grass Jade. You’re probably high on caffeine, nerves and fumes from the psychedelic mushrooms- wherever you took that from.
Jade, messy hair, crazy smile and his right eye twitching : Prefect, I do appreciate such concern however I am not as fragile as your kind; I’ll last a bit more longer.
Yuu/Mc:
Yuu/Mc: Right. Merfolk.
Yuu/Mc turning around and leaving: Go touch some kelp then.
Jade: Azul, remember what we discussed? Ladies love to talk about themselves and occasionally the person they are interested. I’m sure you’ll do fine around Mc with a high chance of possibly embarrassing yourself.
Azul, sweating: Jade, you’re not helping.
Floyd: Just get it over with Azul, “It’s about them” concept. I don’t want to stay at work for long!
Azul: I’ll double up your pay alright.
*later on*
Floyd: So wanna see how he’ll mess up again?
Jade: Now now, I believe it’s called moral support. There’s nothing wrong with a memory or two.
*At the date*
Azul, nervous as fuck: Hello Mc, thank you for accepting my dinner invitation
Mc: Thanks! I wasn’t expecting to be invited to a fancy restaurant. I’m kinda Embarrassed.
Azul: Oh don’t mind them at all, you look great!
Mc: As always a charmer.
Azul, smiling, forgetting what to say: So ugh..
Mc: Hm?
Azul, remembering what Floyd said, takes a deep breath:
Mc: So Azu-
Azul, panicking and accidentally cuts them off: I-I have a question!
Mc: sure-? *taken back*
Azul: *alright play it cool*
Azul, business mode and completely out of his mind from the anxiety: So what’s your social security number?
Mc, chokes on their drink: M-My what?
Mc: Senpai.. I’m.. *sniffles* broke
*Jade and Floyd at the background trying not to wheeze*
Silence reigned over Mostro Lounge. It was well past closing time, and the once bustling restaurant was now empty and lifeless.
The light shining from the glass bordering the area cast a ghostly aquamarine hue over the polished wooden tables and floor, and the leather of the couches.
The neon pink, purple and blue lights danced beautifully alongside the aquatic colours, decorating the Lounge and giving it an almost ethereal feeling.
Finn Clearcove sat on one of the couches, hat and scarf placed neatly next to him, and watched the grand array of fish swimming about just beyond the glass.
It was so nice to do this after work. Sit down, rleax, and enjoy the peace. It brought about a feeling of nostalgia, brinnging him back to old times.
Surrounded by water, the current rippling his hair, the comfort of the pressure of the depths as he moved along the ocean floor. Hiding in the seaweed, chasing crabs, helping his father hunt and prep meat to sell to the Ashengrottos… a simple, but pleasant life.
The quiet was something to savour, as things were going to get loud for his birthday tomorrow.
“Still awake, I see?” Finn jolted and snapped out of his trance, spinning around to be met with the sight of Jade Leech smiling at him, sharp teeth barely visible through his lips.
“J-Jade- My apologies I-” “No need to apologise~” Jade purred. “I am simply here to let you know that I will be locking up soon. It would be rather unfortunate if you were trapped in here.”
“Ah…” Finn flushed. “Um, thank you. Sorry, I… I get distracted by the scenery.” Jade’s smile widened just a fraction. “I know. I’ve seen you here many many times. You look so… at peace.”
“Well… yes, you could say that.” Finn giggled nervously. “It reminds me of home.” “Ah yes.” Jade hummed. “You lived in rhe neighbourhood. Your father was the butcher. It’s a shame, you were always so shy. We could never find you in the kelp forest.” “That was kinda the plan…” Finn mumbled.
He was playing with his hands and staring at his lap with flushed cheeks. How cute.
A moment of silence reigned, until the moray eel had an idea.
“Come.” Jade extended a hand. “I would like to show you something.” One year ago, Finn would have fled for his damn life ar such an offer, but now… now he knew Jade a little better. They were not simply peers. They were… friends. He knew Jade had no ill intentions. Towards him at least.
Finn took his hand and allowed himself to be led closer to the glass. “Look.” Jade pointed, and Finn had to squint and strain his already sore eyes.
He followed the direction of Jade’s finger. Past the fish, past the kelp, past the rocks and the shrimp and the coral.
There.
There was a cave. And deep within the blackness of that cave was a light. An aquamarine and green light.
Finn was not unfamiliar with bioluminescence. Hell, he was bioluminescent due to a type of algae he ate. But the shape looked odd…
It took a minute or two to click.
“Are those… mushrooms?” Jade nodded. “Indeed. After many months of hard work, I managed to cultivate a species of mushroom that cam grow underwater. Of course, neither Azul nor Floyd would let me display them, so I hid them in that cave for me to look at.” He looked at Finn. “You are the only person to know about this.”
Both a statement and a warning. Finn knew better than to tattle anyways. “Of course.” He had no idea what else to say. It was a little awkward. Luckily, Jade was there to save the day.
“Oh. I must say.” He said, changing the subject. “I must thank you for getting that little piece of information. It helped us find the student who’s been cheating the system Azul worked oh so hard to make. You’re getting close to earning Employee Of The Month.”
“O-Oh. That.” Not quite what he was expecting, but Finn laughed anyway. “Thank you. For such a proud student, he sure caved in easy to the forgettable bartender.” His lips curled up just a fraction, revealing his own pointed teeth, and as such his cute mask slipped. “It was quite… funny.”
“Mm, I can imagine.” Jade moved Finn’s hair out of eyes and stared into those gorgeous aquamarine irises. Irises that glinted with slightly sadistic glee.
As adorable as Finn was, one did not get into Octavinelle without the dorm traits, and the little cookie cutter shark was as sly as they come. His birthday was sure to bring more customers.
“Ah, yes, before I forget.” Jade handed Finn a small woden box. “This is for your birthday tomorrow. Do not open it until you wake up. As much as I’d love for you to receive it during your party, this is something more… private.” He did not elaborate further.
Finn nodded slowly. “Alright then.” He held onto the box carefully and checked his watch. “Oh my! I need to get to bed! I’m sorry, goodnight, Jade!”
Watching he small mer scramble for the exit and handle the box like glass, Jade a smile. A soft, genuine smile.
Finn’s eyes slowly fluttered open as sunlight filtering in through the window forced him awake. He met out a little groan and covered his face with his pillow.
It was his birthday.
He was not against birthdays, but at NRC, they unfortunately meant interacting with a person who was going to interview him and then shove a pie in his face.
Not a very pleasant experience at all.
Just as the dread started to settle in, he remembered the box.
Finn sat up and gently took it into his hands. There was no telling what would be inside. This was Jade Leech, after all.
He delicately hooked his fingers under the lid and lifted it off, scared to even scuff it.
Finn looked into the box and let out a cry of surprise as he picked up what was inside.
A necklace.
A nautilis shell necklace to be precise.
It was the most beautiful shell Finn had ever seen.
Blues and golds of various shades decorated it, and it wasn’t painted on. This seashell was real. Colourful and fully intact, it was a true rarity.
After taking a moment to process it’s beauty, Finn’s face exploded into a rose red as he realised what had just happened.
He had received a courting gift from Jade Leech.
……………………………………………………………………….
A/N: So yeah I hc that merfolk give jewellery/shells as gifts to show they wish to date.
TW// a bit of dacryphilia, master/servant vibes, humiliation and degradation
NSFW UNDER THE CUT
→ Azul Ashengrotto
He meets you at the entrance ceremony and sees you’re slightly anxious for the results, but he mostly pays no mind. But when he sees that somehow, you’ve placed in Octaniville, he gets enthused. People see that you’ve caused this octopus boy’s attention to overlook everything else, and instead, hunt you over. With the help of his two eel companions, Floyd and Jade, he’ll hunt you down, just so he can get to know you better. He saw that you were easygoing, and that you were just a bit naive, kind of like a kitten wandering around a parking lot in search of a warm bed and a good meal. He saw that you were a people pleaser, and Floyd started giving him ideas on the future, with his mind being the way it is. The ideas on corruption started to flow in his mind, Suggestibility, perhaps? He let his mind dance briefly, but not enough for it to get distracted, oh no. He offers you a place at the Mostro Lounge. Are you in need of a job there in this new world? Of course, you’ll take it happily won’t you? But don’t worry. This won’t be the end of your relations with Azul, no no.
His mind will curve around the fact that you’re particularly smart, and that your grades seem to be important to you, which adds more fantasies within his fishy friend’s head.How you treat customers, your innocent sweet smile, the way your ass jiggles in your light fitting pants… ah did we mention that Jade gave you pants that were a size too small? Yeah, for the sake of Azul trying to examine your behavior with other people, you grew increasingly anxious when you felt your pants tightening with each step, how your breath started to wander off on its own path… oh, but let’s not get too hasty now. He has work to do.
Oh, how he’ll play you into his palm moments later however. Much like a kitten, your submissive nature may get the best of you when he pulls a contact from his lovely hands, golden paper aligned with a signature line adorning the bottom of the cursive typed wording, neatly spaced and ready for any innocent reader to take a nose dive. Of course, when you read it you sign it right? As a people pleaser, you’re so agreeable. Such an agreeable little darling you can be for this octopus.~ But what does this contract entail? Do we have a deal?
Well, it’s you of course! In exchange for fufilling all of Your desires he gets you in exchange… you body at least. As a chubby man himself, he sees your stretch marks and your beautiful chub, and he finds enlightenment to see that he can have someone to relate to. Albeit he’s a little ashamed in his body, he can find pleasure in the fact that you don’t mind.
Such a cutie patootie you are to him, obeying every command like a dog, listening to his every word, it’s almost like you were made to be put on a leash for his amusement. He’ll give you complicated things to do— such as dusting up in high places where you have to force your body to stretch up real high, or clean down below tables, where you have to find ways to contort your body so that you’ll fit. He watches you do this with a twisted grin, as he gets to revel in the fact that you’re trying for him.
Some octopi can be quite aggressive. Especially however in the presence of a mate. So when Floyd comes for grabs, Azul, quite darkly, shoos him away from his prey. Buying you lavish things as possession gifts, watching you wear them as you game with your friends. They see you wearing that necklace he got for you the other day, or the ring he found just out of nowhere— damn near strapped to your finger like a keepsake. He finds it erotic that other people get to see these gifts without any real or clear intention as to what they mean.
And when he ties you up so intricately, he’s always been a fan of shibari, the Japanese rope tie style, so intricate and so artistic, like a piece of artwork for his crustacean eyes. He’s so fascinated by your doe eyes, the way they revel in the false light of hope. Your reddening cheeks, puffy and akin to his own, filling with blood at his feather light glove clad touches on your skin. How quaint.~
The Leech twins can only scoff and laugh at the mess that Azul has made you— from a commoner to his queen, wrapped in a contract. Be sweet to him, and he will show you his mercy, as a gentleman should. But when he doesn’t, oh dear do things get wild. He’ll start by verbally degrading you as he enters the room, clapping his hands slowly, as if honoring your subtle form in his shadow. He walks over, slowly, like a snake in the woods monitoring its prey, and he pulls you closer. Pulls you by the chain wrapped on your neck. The beautiful sapphire gems engraved in what would’ve been soft black leather, with his initials and yours, carved into a single silver heart with a cute bell in the front that would ring when you got excited. Would command you to kneel before him and service him, much like a good girl should. Being keen on the fact that you would be doing everything, his hands would be instructing yours, as though silently telling you to unbutton, pull down, pull out, caress, stroke, suck….
Will you be a good girl and get back on the bed for him? Like good prey that he won’t have to hunt down? Will you be good and spread your legs for him? Giving him a feast for his eyes to drool upon, as your cunt swells and dumbly drools at the sight of his hunger laden eyes. At times like this, he’s all but gentle as he shows you who’s boss here, the dominant one in this contract, all the while keeping a confident smile on his face knowing he has all the power, all the control, all the energy in the world knowing he has everything laid out before him, just for him to take and crush. To pound. To make that someone cry and whine and moan like a small cat, clawing away at him for mercy. It’s not gonna work my dear. With all this power he has, he’ll go crazy.
Summary: The second and third years are here for you, if you’d like the comfort I’ve only done two dorms for now, but might write the rest too if there’s interest!
CW:At the start of each section the reader’s worries/situation is described. If you’d rather not read contents related to said topics, feel free to scroll past!
Heartslabyul: feeling alone, like you don’t fit in
Trey is aware their dorm can be a rowdy bunch, but please know that whenever you’re feeling down, they’re more than happy to be there for you to lean on.
Riddle tells you about the history of the dorm, slowing down to appreciate the rose garden especially.
When he’s not angered, Riddle’s voice is very pleasant to listen to. Besides that, there’s a sense of delicate nostalgia in the way he introduces you to how roses came to be symbolic to the Queen of Hearts.
Riddle can be a little awkward about approaching emotions, but you realise he’s trying to keep you company in his own way. Perhaps listening to stories like these was how he passed the time when he was a child?
You can imagine a young Riddle, curious and wide-eyed at the wondrous campus you get to live on. Besides that, you can see the way he seems to find comfort in nature and animals - perhaps as a result of the strict childhood you heard of from Trey…
Riddle is a gentle person beneath his severity, and through today you feel a bit less intimidated by his perfection in academics. Trey places a plate of biscuits before you, telling you about the new blend he bought lately.
Whether or not you’re the type to appreciate the aroma of tea, there’s no doubt that having a warm drink soothes the senses. Trey checks up on you, asking how things have been going lately - he’s attentive and makes you feel listened to without the pressure of divulging things you’d rather not, and shares random stories he can think of to pass the time as well.
And of course, as a reliable third-year, Trey is happy to offer some advice if you have something on your mind. When you ask him if there was anything he wishes his past self knew, Trey was caught off-guard before settling into a thoughtful silence.
Finally, you’re told that he wishes he was a bit braver. He says this quietly right as Cater enters the room, flashing a smile and wink at you as he announces that he’s here to help his cute underclassman through their rough path.
You try to tell him that it’s not that serious, but Cater simply continues on and joins the conversation (something about how you shouldn’t take away his chance to support you).
When you offhandedly summarize that you were just feeling a little alone and isolated, Cater frowns - but not particularly at you, rather…
“Hey, we’re right here, aren’t we?” He tries to pout and lighten the mood, but it melts into a sadder, understanding smile. “So even if you feel like there’s nowhere to go, you can come to us.”
Despite all its rules, Wonderland is a place that accommodates all sorts no matter what cards you’ve been dealt. So when the roses have been painted red, and the white rabbit wanders across the green… won’t you humor them for a tea party or two?
Octavinelle: too many things to do, burnout/overwhelmed
Busy, busy, busy… That was your general impression of Octavinelle. Who could blame you when the lounge was always bustling with business and students, hurrying about for studies and clubs?
Azul sympathizes with your desire to handle things alone, but doesn’t agree with the way you’re stretching yourself thin. He reminds you that a sustainable lifestyle would always be better in the long run, and even offers his help.
He knows how hard it can be to break out of a habit, so instead of simply convincing you to want to change, Azul gives you tips to cope with it for now. He respects your feelings to continue on, and tries to make it more forgiving on you with tips and knowledge.
Payment? Oh, don’t worry about it - he’ll collect that when you’re not as overwhelmed with life. Very benevolent of him, no?
Jade mentions that you seem frazzled these days, which surprises you since you didn’t realise he was paying attention.
He asks if you’d like a drink (on the house!) And who are you to reject the offer when he gives you a slight smile and starts to work?
Little talks with Jade are nice, especially when there are no ulterior motives - and you find that he’s quite good at giving advice! Especially when what you needed was a strategic approach. His mind was as sharp as ever, always able to help you out of a conundrum - not without reasonable efforts on your part too, of course.
Floyd simply takes a look at you and says that prolonging your burnout doesn’t seem to be worth it - because the look in your eyes? You don’t seem like you’re having fun, and that’s reason enough to stop.
It’s touching enough that he doesn’t just leave you to suffer alone though. Floyd tags along with you on occasion (he does leave when he gets too bored, but it’s the thought that counts! And he does come back around later to check if you’re still slaving away.)
In a sense, he likes to look after you! Much like Jade, you don’t really realise this until he asks if you’re done with that project for Professor Trein, and halfway through your answer you trail away in surprise. Floyd doesn’t pay it any mind though, prompting you to continue.
Despite how ambitious your peers could be, you learn that when work hours dwindle to a stop, even the fishes go to rest. The sea and stars murmur, quiet as the moon watches over your tired forms.
Note: HFJDHJDJDJDJD this is a very old wip i found in my drafts about the leech twins and before you click this please be warned that there are somewhat graphic descriptions of violence here that may be unsuitable for some audience so please proceed with caution!
Blood was splattered all over the furniture — the shouts and screams of nearby students were deafening as they scrambled to the exit, some stayed behind out of concern for the ones injured. Shattered glass stained with an unsightly crimson sunk deep into his skin, he could barely stomach the scene that played in front of him.
Floyd harshly pulled out the glass sticking into his abdomen, the blood gushing out of his wound as he limped towards his brother who was unmoving on the ground. His face was full of gashes and wounds that could make the ordinary person cringe from disgust. But the worst wasn’t any of those cuts, a river of blood poured out from his eye into the floor.
Floyd stood silent. Tears threatened to fall from his eyes as he looked at what was left of his eye. The voices inside his head started screaming at him, longing to pull him to the darkness he may never crawl back up from. ‘This is your fault.’No…'He would’ve never lost his eye if it weren’t for you.’
Something squeezed his heart. A blank look taking over his face as he faced up, his hands inching closer to his one eye — his nails digging into his eye before excruciating pain took over him. But he stood his ground and pulled his eye from its socket, staring at it with the one he had left before an eerie smile decorated his face.
Floyd knelt down, placing his eye near where Jade laid unconscious. “Mhm, this should be enough for you to forgive me, right?”
“An eye for an eye… Isn’t that right? I’ll give you my other eye too if that’s what you want…” Floyd’s voice became hoarse, tears falling from his eye. “So please… You can’t die.”
Only 2 parts left after this I think I’ll post the final chapter after I watch MoM. There won’t be spoilers from the movie though. It’ll only be the storyline I wrote for Wanda. Before I watch MoM, I’m rewatching WandaVision. That show was lit! This chapter deals with Book 4 of twst. JFC, I planned a maximum of 2k but it became 3k lol
After the finals ended, the winter break came. Wanda told her friends about how she feels when there is chaos around her yet she didn’t know why. She decided to withhold some of the information until she was fully aware of who she was.
The unspoken tension between her and her friends eased a bit but it was still there. She assumed her powers freaked them out.
Between the time when she defeated Azul and winter break, she questioned Idia regarding Ortho and his body and Hades. He was reluctant to answer her questions about Ortho but he was over the moon to tell her everything about Hades, including his diet.
She noticed the similarity between the Hades she knew and the one in Twisted Wonderland. Both made deals in exchange for the soul of the person, were powerful beings, could take the shape of someone else and ruled the underworld. However, this Hades seemed to be stuck in one dimension. Her research on the matter ended there until she got her full memories.
Wanda knew she should respect people’s privacy but she had to learn how Ortho is still a living person despite the android body. It would be helpful for the person she longed for. So when she asked about Ortho again, she read Idia’s mind and learned the truth. Since her beloved didn’t have a soul like Ortho had, his android technology would be worthless for her.
Despite having ulterior motives, she felt sympathy for Idia’s loss for she knew the pain of losing a sibling. It felt like someone tore her heart out and crushed it in front of her. No...Pietroisalivenow! The Voice said. Given how she thought the Voice was speaking while she was actually speaking out loud, she now considered The Voice to be herself with full memories, helping Wanda to reclaim all of her powers and memories.
Recently, as more of her memories surfaced, some of them clashed with each other. In one of them, she was with Pietro in every step of her path but in the other, she lost Pietro. In one of her memories, her father controlled metal whilst in the other, he was an ordinary guy who brought sitcoms to cheer up his children. She decided to be patient with her memories and not rush them.
Whilst everyone was preparing for the winter break, including the principal, she was pestering Dire to explain the black stones after the overblot fight and her premonitions. He was acting elusive and saying he was busy.
She learned why he was busy at the start of the break. He went to a holiday resort. He only gave her a phone and assignment and then yeeted away. She bid her farewells to her friends and exchanged numbers. They all seemed happy to go back home which made her yearn for her home as well. Although, she still couldn’t understand which place was her home.
Her powers were improving daily. Now she was able to apparate to the other end of the NRC but she should know the layout to avoid apparating inside a tree or another object. She was easily making shield and attack practice targets now.
Things were boring until Grim and Wanda went to the kitchen of the cafeteria and met with Scarabia students. Jamil looked too nice for NRC which made her uneasy. He invited her and Grim to his dorm but she wanted to refuse until he used his magic.
Their eyes were locked when he said she would accept the invitation. She felt a familiar tug in her mind. Mindcontrol... Wanda smirked at the irony. Although she couldn’t mind-control directly, when she wished for something it happened, whether it was human or object. She was going to entertain his game since the things were boring and she needed a break from all the new information she learned recently.
They all went to Scarabia and met Kalim. Despite Wanda feeling gloomy recently, Kalim’s positive aura rubbed on Wanda’s mood. They ate together and played a game. They were also invited to stay the night which they accepted. However, the next day, Kalim’s personality shifted 180.
She didn’t like his new persona and thought he either had multiple personalities or his behaviour was changed by someone else. Hence, she took a peek inside his mind and saw an abnormality. His mind was shackled and something else was in charge as if that thing was the puppet master while Kalim was a marionette.
She thought Jamil was the one doing it since she felt him trying to command her mind. So she confronted him. He denied obviously. Given his attitude, she didn’t feel bad about reading his mind. It was harder than the others but his mind powers couldn’t hold a candle to hers.
She went to tell this to everyone but he tried to stop her. Seeing his unique magic not work on her pissed him off further. He reached to grab her. When she dodged, he attacked her with his magic. Wanda’s shield appeared in front of her even though she didn’t lift a finger. She took a risk like that but its result was rewarding.
She then blasted him back. While he was recovering, she reached where Kalim and the other students are. She began to tell them everything but Jamil soon appeared and used his unique magic on the rest of the students. She didn’t know how to break the mind control of the others yet, so she grabbed Grim and ran away. She could have easily handled the entire dorm but she didn’t want to harm them since they weren’t acting out of their free will.
She also didn’t know if she could apparate with Grim without hurting him so they had to leave physically. As many students surrounded them, she decided to use the Flying Carpet to escape. She was excellent at levitating objects but the Flying Carpet had its own consciousness so she wasn’t able to control it and they crashed into the Mostro Lounge. The trio was still there. Wanda and Grim were followed by Scarabia students. Not liking them invading their territory, the trio fought them. Despite Wanda’s warning about not going hard on them neither listened to her.
After the commotion calmed down, Wanda explained to them the situation. Azul seemed to want to get involved in it and the twins looked as willing as Azul. So the trio dragged them back to Scarabia, spewing some bullshit on how he didn’t mean to cause trouble for Scarabia, how lonely it was in the Octavinelle and why they want to spend time with the Scarabia. Despite Jamil suspecting them, the trio along with Wanda and Grim stayed in a Scarabia room even though they were 4 people and Grim in a small room.
Azul, Floyd, Jade and Grim were discussing what to do while Wanda was thinking of a way to break the mind-control. They agreed to record what Jamil would say and when his magic on the mind-controlled students was gone, they would show the video to them. She agreed with the plan but she wanted to have a backup plan. Plus, she would know if she could also control people like that, it’d be useful power for her.
She started to meditate in the room but since she was focusing on the mind, she couldn’t black out the thoughts of her roommates. She looked outside from the window and saw there was no one outside. She let them know that she was going to meditate and come back later on. She apparated onto the opening she saw and started to meditate.
Time flew past as Wanda both tackled personal research and NRC studies and soon, it was the time for the finals of the terms.
Since she had a lot to look up to, she only studied for the lessons that were useful to her such as the history of Twisted Wonderland. She learnt that the Hades that Ignihyde was based on wasn’t the one she knew. This one was blue instead of red but they worked similar regarding making deals. She thought to ask the person who was the most likely to know about him later on. At that moment, she knew about Hades of Twisted Wonderland enough.
She also learned TheGodofChaos’ name there was Eris which was unfamiliar to her. However, Eris also had a book on Twisted Wonderland. While she wasn’t able to recall the exact name of the book she saw in her memories, she knew it was written by TheGodofChaos and she needed it.
While her classmates struggled with spells, Wanda was able to wish anything into reality so spellcasting and potion lessons didn’t take much of her effort. She was also more in control of her powers now.
However, her knowledge and talent wouldn’t make her pass the exams so she used her mind-reading powers during the exams and passed with flying colours. Although, the same couldn’t be said for her friends. She thought they studied hard on their own but turned out that they made a deal with Azul just like many other students.
Her friends except for Jack who studied by himself had anemone on their heads. Azul was making everyone work for him for free thanks to the deals he made.
Truthfully, Wanda didn’t care if they had a study guide. It meant they actually studied for exams unlike her. Of course, any logical person would want the best outcome with minimal effort. If the guides they got at the NRC were so well then her friends just like many others wouldn’t want a proficient guide from Azul.
She was just annoyed with them for not reading their contracts. She wasn’t going to meddle with their affairs until Dire blackmailed her. If only she knew how to shift the matter into the things she wanted or created food out of thin air. She promised herself to work on it, hoping that she could do it with her exponentially improving powers.
Jack and Wanda went to the root of the current problem, Azul but they found the twins at the cafeteria. The twins were giving off a suspicious aura. One didn’t need to be an empath or mind reader to know that they were manipulating the conversation in a way they wanted. Floyd seemed aloof but he was as smooth as Jade in turning the conversation in their favour. They suggested Wanda make a deal with Azul to save her friends who basically begged Wanda to do it.
Since Wanda just wanted to get over it so she agreed to meet with Azul. Yet, when they arrived, Azul was nowhere to be seen and the twins asked Wanda and Jack to work as Mostro Lounge was overflowing with customers and there weren’t an adequate number of waiters. Jack agreed to it while Wanda refused at first. Then she agreed for she was going to use this opportunity to practice her levitation magic. If it didn’t work then good for her. If it worked, then she would be of help to her friends.
At first, she was slow and some orders were inaccurate or a mess. Floyd seemed to have fun watching her make a mess. She slowly made fewer mistakes. She didn’t even look at where the order was supposed to go. She just thought of it and it levitated towards the target.
When the rush hour died down, Azul appeared and asked Wanda and Jack to come over to his VIP Room. The first thing both Jack and Wanda noticed was the giant vault at the back of the desk. “Look at that huge vault… It’s like some kinda bank.” Wanda rolled her eyes at the obvious safe.
Wanda knew that Azul wouldn’t release her friends right away. If he had that plan on his mind, he would have done it already so she cut the chase. “BothJadeandFloydsuggestedImakeadeal.Giveneverythinghappenedsofar,Iknowyouwanttomakeadealwithme.Justtellmewhatyouwantinreturn.”
Azul acted offended at first, he dramatically sighed, “To think you consider me this way,” he sighed again whilst Wanda arched her eyebrow. Then he chuckled, “You want to make a deal with me? I am honoured.” He formed a contract with his magic and laid it in front of Wanda and Jack. “Since I’ll free your friends, you need to give me something in return. I bid you pilfer a certain photograph from the Atlantica Memorial Museum in the Coral Sea before the sun sets on the third day from now.” Wanda was reading the contract when Azul continued, “Considering the big ask you’re making of me, I would need considerable collateral.” Jack asked what it was. A faint smirk adorned Azul’s face, “I want your power as collateral, Wanda.”
He looked so smug about it as if he knew she couldn’t say no to save her friends. Jack was flabbergasted but he understood it was Azul’s plan all along.
Wanda chuckled at first, then couldn’t contain her laughter. Both Azul and Jack were surprised to see her reaction. Jack expected to see her angry whereas Azul expected desperation from her. Neither thought she would laugh out loud yet she found the situation quite amusing.
Givehimatasteofyourpowersjustlikeyoudidbefore... The Voice spoke once again. Her memories about a witch wanting her powers were surfacing in her mind.
“Youremindedmeofsomeone,” Wanda said as she raised her hand in front of her, slowly moving her fingers. A small magenta sphere formed in her hand and she moved it along with her fingers as if she was rolling a coin with her fingers. She was focusing on her hand as she spoke. “Shewantedtoownmypowerstoo.Doyouwishtoknowwhathappenedtoher?” Her gaze fell upon Azul as she finished.
Azul was taken aback by Wanda’s reaction and her chilling gaze. The aura around her shifted completely. Wanda could sense his doubt and anxiety, which made her smile wider and make Azul feel more uncomfortable. Jack was also startled by the sudden change in Wanda’s behaviour and voice.
Azul coughed twice before fixing his composure. “You can tell me after we sign the contract.” Wanda heeded him no mind.
“Youwantmypowers?”Wanda spoke again, her voice sounding deeper than usual. Jack and Azul were startled by the sudden change in Wanda. They both saw the magenta mist covering more and more of Wanda’s arms.
“Wanda, calm d-” Jack tried to evaluate the situation. “I understand your hesitation but you will have your powers back if you complete your end of the bargain.” Azul tried to reason with it. He planned to coerce her more but seeing Wanda’s eyes glowing pink made him stop in his tracks.
The magenta mist became more visible around her right hand while an energy sphere was forming in her palms. “Takeit.” Wanda said softly before sending an energy ball at Azul. The magenta mist covered his chest as he was sent back flying to the wall, flipping the couch he was sitting on. “Youwantmore?” Wanda asked rhetorically as she formed another energy sphere with her left hand. “It’sallyours...” She blasted him again, causing Azul to scream in pain.
She suddenly appeared in front of Azul as if she teleported a few metres, “Thelastpersonwhotriedtotakemypowerslostallofherpowersatmywill.Shecouldn’tevenrememberwhoshewasafterIwasdonewithher.Doyoustillwantmypowers?”
Azul was coughing, overwhelmed by the sheer power of Wanda. Hearing the commotion inside Floyd, Jade and Grim burst in. All were shocked to see Azul sitting on the floor, leaning back against the wall. “Stop.” The moment that word left her mouth, both Jade and Floyd stopped in their tracks, couldn’t move an inch.
Wanda looked at her hands, all of her fingers and a small portion of her hands turned dark grey-black. Justlikethelasttime... She thought, observing them a bit before turning her attention back to Azul. “Iamareasonablewoman,Azul.Idon’tthinkyouwantmypowersanymore.” She asked softly, raising her left eyebrow.
“N-no,” Azul answered between coughs. Wanda hummed in response. She placed her hands in front of him. Her magic in magenta mist form flowed from his body to her hands, restoring her power and the original colour of her hands. She twirled her hand and the cough came back to its original state. “Youcanmovenow.” She said to free the twins. Grim also rushed to her side as she sat where she was sitting before. “Hereismyoffer.Basedonyourstudyguideandexamscore,Itakeityouknowalotofthings.DoyouknowthenameofthebookwrittenbyTheGodofChaos?”
Azul gave her a look containing distaste and fear. He cleared his throat and sat back in his original place. “The Book of The Damned?”
That’sit... The Voice spoke. “Yes,aren’tyousmartass,hmm?” Wanda answered. “Iwilldoasyouask,retrievethatphoto.Inreturn,youwillbringmethatbook.Givenyourknowledgeandconnections,itwillbeeasyforyou.Asforcollateralsforeachofus,youcanhaveRamshackle.Incase,youdon’tholdyourendofthebargain,Iwilldestroyallofyourcontractsandmakeyouliveyournightmaresoverandoveragain.Deal?”
Azul hesitated. He would get what he originally wanted before the twins told him that Wanda could mind-read. Also, he thought she didn’t know where his contracts were. Plus, he doubted her threat about nightmares. Still, he was considering what else he could take advantage of.
Seeing him take too long to answer, Wanda added, “Ifyoudon’tacceptitnow,Iwilltaketheshortcuttoendthisbullshit.I’llblastopenyourvaultan
Azul: I’m simply trying very hard to make a new friend for no reason in particular other then I find him interesting, why do you two insist on mocking me for my efforts, in fact I believe my efforts are admirable even
