Chapter Text
Sunny woke up to the loud banging of fists against the front door—a now too-familiar noise. He groaned, pulling the blanket over his head and wishing whoever it was would just go away.
The knocking didn’t stop. With a heavy sigh, Sunny pushed the blanket off and dragged himself out of bed, each step a little heavier than the last.
Ace’s voice drifted up from the living room below. “Who in Twisted Wonderland thinks it’s a good idea to knock at this hour?” His complaint was punctuated by a long, dramatic groan. Sunny heard the creak of the old couch as Ace flopped back down onto it. “If it’s Riddle, I’m pretending I’m dead.”
Rubbing his eyes, Sunny stumbled down the stairs, his feet catching on almost every step. He reached the door and yanked it open—right as a fist came mid-swing toward it.
Deuce froze, hand hovering inches from Sunny’s face. “Uh, hey,” he said, looking both relieved and startled at once.
Sunny blinked at him, still not fully awake. “...What do you want?”
"I just wanted to see if Ace stopped by last night by any chance..." Deuce started, looking a little hesitant.
Ace, who had finally pulled himself off the couch, appeared behind Sunny in the doorway, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish grin.
"I figured I'd find you here," Deuce said, crossing his arms and giving Ace a knowing look.
Ace’s face fell. “Ugh. Deuce...”
"So," Deuce continued, shaking his head, "you ate the housewarden's tart. You really are an idiot, Ace."
"Oh, shut up! Like you're one to talk!" Ace shot back, folding his arms defensively. "Anyway, uh... Is he still mad?"
Deuce shrugged, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Not at all. Maybe just a touch irritated, if anything. A few of our dormmates overslept this morning... but only three of 'em got your treatment."
Ace's eyes widened. "You call that 'not at all' mad?! Sounds like he's still on the rampage, to me!"
Before Deuce could reply, both of them noticed Sunny swaying slightly in the doorway, his eyelids half-closed. He was dozing off on his feet, barely holding himself upright.
“Uh, Sunny?” Deuce reached out and gently tapped his shoulder. Sunny blinked awake, startled.
"Sorry... I just..." Sunny rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn. "We... We still need to get ready."
Ace laughed. “You’re really out of it, huh?"
Ignoring him, Sunny turned to Ace and gestured to Deuce. “Fill him in on the plan... about, um, getting that thing off your neck.” He pointed to the collar, and Ace’s expression grew more serious.
Sunny climbed the creaky stairs to the second floor.
Grim was still sprawled out on the bed, snoring softly. He paused to watch the cat-like creature for a moment before gently nudging him awake. Grim grumbled, stretching and blinking up at Sunny with bleary eyes.
"Morning already?" Grim muttered, reluctantly rolling over.
Sunny’s gaze shifted to a bag resting by the bedside—something he didn’t remember seeing before. Curious, he picked it up and peered inside.
A neatly folded new uniform sat at the top, and he pulled it out, holding the fabric in his hands. It looked like the ones he’d seen other students wear, crisp and pristine.
Ignoring that Crowley had probably snuck in last night and left that there, Sunny got up; New clothes in hand, slipping into the bathroom down the hall.
He hesitated for a moment in front of the mirror, then began to carefully unwrap the bandages from around his right eye.
His breath hitched when he saw the skin underneath. It was mostly healed, though faint scars still crisscrossed the area, red but not angry.
He reached up to touch it, but then froze when he realized he couldn’t actually see his hand hovering there. Blinking, he covered his good eye, but all he got from the other was a blank, eerie white.
He swallowed, leaning closer to the mirror to inspect it.
His left eye had gone completely white—a stark, unsettling contrast to his dark hair and tired face. It was creepy. He looked away, not wanting to linger on it any longer.
With a sigh, he took out the eyepatch he’d been given that first night and slipped it over the damaged eye.
It felt strange, like he was trying to hide a part of himself, but it was better than seeing that empty white stare every time he looked at his reflection.
Pushing the thoughts aside, Sunny changed into the new uniform. The fabric felt stiff against his skin, but it fit well enough.
He hurried through his morning routine—splashing water on his face, brushing his teeth, and trying to tame his hair—before stepping back into the hallway.
Grim, now fully awake and impatient, bounded up to him.
“What took ya so long, human? I’m starving!” Grim whined, pawing at Sunny’s leg.
Ignoring Grim’s complaints, Sunny led the way back downstairs. At the bottom of the steps, Ace and Deuce were already waiting. They glanced up as he appeared, and Ace raised an eyebrow.
“Finally ready? Took you long enough,” Ace teased with a grin.
"Let's get moving," Deuce said with a nod, a determined look in his eyes.
________________________________________
The three of them, along with Grim, made their way to the front of the Heartslabyul mirror. It loomed tall and imposing.
"You've got this, Ace," Sunny spoke trying his best to encourage his friend "It’s just one conversation, and you’ll be collar-free."
"Yeah, seriously," Deuce added, clapping Ace on the shoulder. "You’re good at talking your way out of things. Just... keep your cool, okay?"
Ace swallowed hard and gave a nod, trying to muster up some confidence.
Grim, perched on Sunny's shoulder, huffed in amusement, as if it were all a game. They stepped toward the mirror, and Ace went through first with a muttered "Here goes nothing."
Deuce followed close behind. Sunny hesitated for a moment, staring at the mirror’s surface. It shimmered like a rippling pool, giving the illusion of solidity. He took a deep breath, reminding himself he’d done this before, then stepped forward.
The cool sensation of passing through what seemed like solid glass sent a shiver down his spine.
They emerged inside Heartslabyul, and Grim immediately jumped down from Sunny’s shoulder, his eyes wide as he looked around.
The dorm was stunning, even more so than Sunny had expected.
The pathway wound through perfectly manicured rose gardens, with hedges and topiaries all trimmed to perfection. Red and white decorations hung in a strangely chaotic but orderly fashion, creating an almost whimsical but strict atmosphere.
“Dang, this place is swank!” Grim exclaimed, his voice echoing off the high walls. “This is nothing like our dumpster of a dorm.”
Silently, Sunny couldn’t help but agree. There was a sharp contrast between the grandeur of Heartslabyul and the rundown state of Ramshackle, but he kept his thoughts to himself
As they walked along the pathway, the perfectly laid cobblestones clicking softly beneath their shoes, a cheerful voice broke through the morning calm.
The trio stopped, looking toward the source of the voice. There, crouched in front of a hedge with a paintbrush in hand, was a student with bright orange hair. He was humming to himself as he carefully brushed red paint over white roses, a slightly manic yet pleased grin on his face.
"Ah, someone's here." Grim whispers
The orange-haired student sang as he worked, “They all gotta be red, or it’s off with my head!”
Sunny frowned slightly. That tune sounded oddly familiar.
After a second the student finally noticed The group, tilting his head as he glanced at the group with a raised eyebrow. “Hm? You guys need something?”
Ace furrowed his brows. “What are you doing there?”
...
“Are you blind? I’m painting these roses red, duh,” the student replied, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“What? Why?!” Deuce blurted out, utterly baffled.
The student chuckled, a teasing edge to his voice. “Ah ha ha. So naïve—you put the ‘n’ in newb.”
He paused, staring at the group for a few seconds, his expression shifting as if something clicked in his mind. “Hold the phone, I know you! You’re the ones who broke a billion-thaumark chandelier and nearly got expelled for it, yeah?”
“That chandelier is gonna haunt us till the day we graduate, isn’t it?” Ace groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“And you!” The student pointed dramatically at Ace. “You’re the one who ate the housewarden’s tart that same night! You guys are the hot topic around campus! I have to get in on this fleeting fame.”
Before anyone could stop him, he whipped out his phone and grinned. “I’m just gonna grab a selfie real quick…”
“What?” Ace protested, but it was already too late.
“It’s cool if I post this on Magicam, right? Gimme your names so I can tag you,” the student asked, fiddling with his phone.
“I’m Deuce Spade,” Deuce offered, though he looked unsure about the situation.
“…Ace,” Ace muttered, still grumpy about being recognized for all the wrong reasons.
“I’m Grim! And that’s my henchman, Sunny!” Grim said with a puffed chest, earning a silent glance from Sunny, who remained quiet as always.
Cater blinked, leaning slightly to get a better look at Sunny. “Oh, wow, I didn’t even notice you were there! Man, you’re quiet!” He grinned, clearly unbothered by his own oversight. “You’re like, stealth-level invisible. That’s impressive, honestly.”
"Anyways! I’m Cater Diamond, I’m a junior here at Heartslabyul! But Cater is fine—or Cay-Cay if you’re cray-cray!” He gave them a cheeky wink. “Super nice to meetcha!”
“Aha, And you’re the prefect of that so-called Ramshackle House dorm, right?” Cater’s grin widened, and his tone took on an exaggerated tone.
"I can’t believe you actually live there! It’s all gloomy and looks like hot garbage on Magicam. No filter could salvage THAT dump.”
Grim puffed out his chest, fur bristling in irritation. “Y’know, you’ve done nothin’ but diss us here, pal!” he snapped.
Cater raised his hands defensively, a sheepish grin on his face. “Gah, sorry, sorry! What am I doing? I don’t have time to chat!” He suddenly glanced at the roses he’d been painting, then at the group, his smile taking on a hint of desperation. “The party’s tomorrow. If we’re not ready, it’s ‘off with my head’! Hey, you kids wanna help me paint some roses?”
Ace raised an eyebrow, skepticism dripping from his voice. “Yeah, uh... Why are you doing that exactly?”
“Because red roses are so much more photogenic! Or... something...?” Cater’s grin faltered for a moment, as if he wasn’t entirely sure himself. “And after that, I’ve gotta start getting things ready for the big croquet tournament.”
“Croquet?” Deuce asked.
“Oh yeah, it’s a whole thing. And that means coloring all the flamingos,” Cater sighed dramatically, dragging a hand through his hair.
Grim tilted his head, tail swishing in disbelief. “You’re colorin’ flamingos now? Isn’t anything the right color around here?!” he huffed, and honestly, it was a pretty good question.
"Now it’s coming into focus, Ace. That tart you ate must have been for the housewarden’s birthday!" Deuce exclaimed, nodding as if he’d cracked the code.
“Hm? Oh, no, it’s not Riddle’s birthday,” Cater said, waving the idea off casually.
Ace blinked, clearly baffled. “It’s not? Then whose birthday is it?”
“It isn’t anyone’s birthday,” Cater replied with a grin. “Tomorrow’s our dorm’s traditional unbirthday party. It’s a special tea party we throw when no one has a birthday—if the housewarden feels like it.”
Ace stared at him, deadpan. “That makes no sense.”
“Again with the questions!” Cater groaned, throwing his hands up in exasperation. “Listen, I need these roses to be red. Like, yesterday. Can’t you guys help out with magic or something?”
Grim puffed out his chest. “I’m always down to show off some magic-"
“Oh, but Ace is on magical house arrest, and Sunny is a total normie,” Cater said, cutting Grim off and handing Ace and Sunny each a paintbrush and bucket of red paint. “So you two better stick to paint.”
Ace groaned as he took the brush, muttering under his breath about how unfair this was. Sunny quietly accepted the bucket, glancing at the half-painted roses with a tired sigh.
“Recolor the roses with magic…” Deuce said, staring at the task with some skepticism.
“Can’t say I’ve ever done this before,” Grim added with a shrug, though his tail swished as if eager to try.
“Relax, it’ll be fine. You got this! But maybe do it before I lose my head? K-thanx!” Cater grinned, shooting them finger guns before returning to his work.
________________________________________
They did not, in fact, “got this.”
“Red... Red... BAM! Wh-whoa! It turned blue?!” Deuce yelped, staring wide-eyed at the vividly painted rose.
“Change, o foul color! Change! AHA!” Grim shouted triumphantly, only for his triumph to turn to horror. “BWAH! The rose caught on fire!” he shrieked, leaping back as the flames sputtered out.
“Wow. You’re even less competent than I thought,” Cater said flatly, brushing a fleck of red paint off his uniform.
“Yo, maybe you should just leave the roses white! They look perfectly pretty ‘n stuff to me,” Ace suggested, trying to edge away from the increasingly chaotic painting attempts.
“It’s a matter of tradition,” Cater countered, his tone mock-serious. “You can’t have an unbirthday party without the roses being red. And you can’t play croquet without seven-colored flamingos as mallets and a hedgehog for a ball.”
He paused dramatically before adding, “Oh, but of course, the roses need to be white when the garden flowers put on their spring concert. That’s absolutely crucial.”
“All your rules are completely insane!” Grim grumbled, stomping a paw. Sunny silently nodded in agreement.
“They say the Queen of Hearts made up these rules herself—she was one of the Great Seven, you know,” Cater continued as though none of them had spoken. “And Riddle? Oh man, he’s all about tradition. Probably more than any of the previous housewardens, T-B-H. I’ll admit that he’s, well... a bit extra.” Cater rubbed the back of his neck with an awkward chuckle.
“Yeah, no kidding. I sure don’t have time for this nonsense. Is Riddle here? I gotta talk to him,” Ace cut in impatiently.
“Yeah, probably. But are you sure that’s wise?” Cater raised an eyebrow. “Did you even bring an apology tart to replace the one you ate?”
“Uh, no...? I came here first thing in the morning!” Ace exclaimed, throwing up his hands.
“Ah ah ah… That could be a problem.” Cater wagged his finger again. “Have you forgotten rule 53? ‘Stolen items must be replaced.’ If you’re not in compliance, I can’t let you in.”
“Are you serious?!” Ace groaned, throwing up his hands.
“All dorm residents must obey the rules. If I let you slide, it’d be off with my head next! I hate to say it, Ace, but I’m gonna need you to leave before Riddle spots you. Thanx,” Cater said with a strained smile.
Ace whipped around to the others. “I… think this guy is for real. You guys, do something!”
“Why should we do anything?” Deuce asked, crossing his arms
“C’mon, please! I can’t use magic! Hurry, he’s—”
“If you won’t leave, I’m gonna have to escort you guys out,” Cater interrupted, letting out a long, dramatic sigh.
Then, with a snap of his fingers, four identical copies of Cater appeared around them.
“Split Card!” he announced brightly, gesturing to his clones. “Okay, squad, let’s gently guide these trespassers out, k?”
Grim jumped back in alarm. “What the heck is this?!”
One of Cater’s clones made a beeline for Sunny, who barely had time to register what was happening before he felt himself being lifted—longways, like a cat, his arms dangling awkwardly.
Sunny blinked, too stunned to resist as the clone carried him effortlessly.
“Wow, you’re light! Do you even eat?” the Cater clone teased, grinning as it marched toward the mirror.
Ace and Deuce were locked in a scuffle with the other clones, while Grim snapped his jaws, growling.
Sunny didn’t even try to wriggle free—he’d long since resigned himself to the absurdity of this world. The clone, unfazed by the commotion, cheerfully plopped Sunny down in front of the Heartslabyul mirror and gave him a light push.
Sunny stumbled slightly as he passed through the shimmering surface.
“That’s one down! Great work, me!” the Cater clone said, spinning on its heel to rejoin the fray.
“Sunny!” Grim called, but he barely had time to react before another clone scooped him up by the scruff. “Hey! Hands off the fur!” Grim yelped, clawing at the air as the clone hurled him through the mirror next.
“Okay, guys, your turn~” one of the Cates sing-songed, effortlessly dodging Ace’s spell.
“We’re not leaving without—WHOA!” Ace’s protest was cut short as he was grabbed by two clones and dragged toward the mirror.
“Lemme go! I said—ACK!” Deuce wasn’t far behind, getting pushed by a clone that grumbled, “Seriously, you guys are so much work.”
They were pushed through the mirror, disappearing in an instant.