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fakesaintess · 1 year

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Rose Garden Sekai

Notes: A scrapped au where Overblot-ees were going to have Sekais populated by characters from that chapter customized to said sekai which would make them differ from canon. I dropped it due to the last fact but if enough people enjoy this I'll rework/revive it. Summary: "Looks like you're not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy!" Riddle jumps at that voice and turns on his heel to face where he heard it come from. There's an orange haired boy there who looks familiar, although Riddle doesn't know where he's seen him before.

AO3

Riddle isn't one to use his cellphone. He has no apps downloaded besides the ones that came preinstalled. There's no games, social media, not even any music downloaded. He uses it to contact his mother and, very rarely, his father.

That's why when his phone displays a paused, unnamed song on his lockscreen curiosity overtakes him and he presses play. The moment he does a bright light fills his vision. When it finally clears he's in an expansive rose garden, the hedges around him in varying twist and turns like a maze. He rubs at his eyes, hoping he's just imagining this place.

When his surroundings fail to change Riddle grows agitated. Whoever is pulling this strange prank will pay for it greatly.

"Looks like you're not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy!" Riddle jumps at that voice and turns on his heel to face where he heard it come from. There's an orange haired boy there who looks familiar, although Riddle doesn't know where he's seen him before.

"Don't tease him, Cater. He's probably still in shock." Another person appears from behind the one Riddle now knows as Cater and rests a hand on his shoulder.

"What is this place? Who are you people?" Riddle asks, unsure if he should run from them or stay in place.

"It's your Sekai. The Rose Garden Sekai." The person besides Cater answers.

"That explains nothing to me. And you failed to tell me your name." Riddle frowns.

"I'm Cater Diamond, but you can call me Cay-Cay. This guy is Trey Clover." Cater says, pointing to the guy next to him.

Riddle recognizes why they seem familiar. A classmate of his had once shown him a video containing characters called "virtual singers." These two share the names of some he had seen, although their appearance suited the rose garden better.

Why he is in a garden with virtual singers makes no sense to him. It's not like he has any interest in those things. He's only ever heard one song created with those, shown to him by the same classmate who introduced him to the concept of virtual singers. They were hoping to get him interested in them by showing him a subgroup of them, a card themed one called Heartslabyul, designed to be mages much like Riddle is. The plan had ultimately failed, but Riddle is thankful he manages to remember what he was shown as it allows him to make some sense of who he's with.

"Isn't there supposed to be two other people with you?" Riddle asks. The subgroup had consisted of four people yet only half that amount is here with him.

"They're around…Somewhere." Trey answers, although his pause before saying somewhere has Riddle believing they're not there at all.

Cater steps in front of Trey, changing the topic from the missing people "We're here to help you find your goal. Slash wish. Slash whatevs you wanna call it. This place, a sekai, is all your's to go to whenever you need something!"

"Is there a way for me to leave?" Riddle is beyond frustrated standing in this curious place. He has work he should be tending to, not goofing around with some program. Precious time is ticking away as he stands in this garden.

"You clicked the unnamed song to be brought here. All you need to do is pause it. Likewise, playing the song will bring you here again no matter where you are." Trey replies. He then quickly adds, "But don't you want to know more about this place? Why you were chosen to have this place?" when he sees Riddle move to pause the song.

Riddle hesitates on pausing the song. He does want to know. "Sum up the scenario quickly. I cannot dilly-dally here forever."

"Like, I already told him." Cater says.

"I'm going to explain it more thoroughly." Trey says to Cater then goes on to explain things out to Riddle as promised. "This place is a sekai, a place made to help you forward in, well, something. The people here currently and anyone who arrives in the future are here to help too. At a certain point, after you discover your true goal, the unnamed song you have will get a name."

Riddle says nothing, continuing to look at Trey like he expects him to say more.

Trey takes the hint faster than most people can. "Your sekai is called the Rose Garden sekai. It's themed around you, er, your needs to get your goal, to give you the short version."

"How so?" The more that's explained the more questions Riddle has.

"We'll find out as we all get to know each other! Besties know each other best." Cater must be some sort of extrovert. Riddle doesn't have an interest in being around people like that.

"You don't have to stay here right now, but I want you to come back whenever you need something, no matter how big or small. Even if you only want to share your frustrations, we'll be here to hear you out." Trey says gently, aware that Riddle will not chose to be staying there for much longer.

As Trey thought, Riddle stops playing the unnamed song, returning to where he was beforehand without giving any sort of response.

"How preposterous. Am I truly meant to believe there's a place with virtual singer residents that exists strictly for me? Only a fool would believe that." Riddle thinks.

It has been a week since Riddle first went to the sekai. He'd sworn to never waste time going there again. But, today the teacher of his final class held every member of the class back because a few students misbehaving. The anger Riddle feels at that causes him to remember the sekai. He was promised he could share his woes there. Could that be true?

Without putting much thought into it, Riddle plays the unnamed song. Once again, light fills his vision and he's back in the rose garden.

"You came back." Trey greets him.

"It was a rash decision to do so." Riddle crosses his arms. "Where's the other one?"

"He said he wanted to take some photographs. But I'm still here to lend an ear. Is there something you'd like to talk about?" Trey says.

Riddle bites his lip. He would like to speak about today's incident, but he wonders if that's wise. Seeing how empty the place is Riddle makes up his mind on speaking. There's no one around that can overhear him so fretting would be a waste of time.

"I happen to have something I'd like to speak about." Throwing caution to the wind, albeit only slightly, Riddle decides he will talk. This would be his first and last time.

Trey smiles. "Go on. Unless you'd be more comfortable sitting down."

"I will not be getting my clothes dirty with grass." Riddle states. He does move to stand closer to Trey. "The last teacher I had for the day held my entire class due to a small handful of students creating a ruckus. Even I, a model student, was forced to stay. That caused me to arrive late to my club activities."

"That doesn't seem very fair." Trey says.

"It is not! Only rulebreakers should be punished. As someone who acts accordingly at all times, I had no reason to be grouped in with them. For causing everyone else trouble those rulebreakers deserve harsher consequences." Riddle's voice raises as he goes on.

Trey notices Riddle does not seem to defend any of the other students who were kept behind, thought he does not bring that up. He's here to help Riddle and he believes scolding Riddle for only caring about his own circumstances is a distraction from that.

Riddle goes on. "If I had the ability to I'd dish out the proper punishments to them. In fact, I should gain the ability to."

"How would you do that?" Trey asks.

"I challenge the current leader of my dorm to a duel. If I win, I take over their place. Then I can apply punishment to those who happen to be in my dorm." Riddle explains. The idea of being in charge excites him.

The idea of Riddle being in charge makes Trey somewhat hesitant. The strictness he follows could cause trouble. That idea starts and ends inside his thoughts, Trey ends up encouraging Riddle instead. "You should. You could lend a helping hand to those who are also effected by troubles."

Trey hopes that reminding Riddle of the existence of others will keep him on the right path. But, if it did not, Trey would still side with Riddle. It's what he's here for.

"It was a good thing to speak to you today. It's helped me decide on how to straighten out the behaviors of others. Mother will be proud when she hears that I've become a House Warden." Riddle grins, arrogant and sure of himself. "I'll complete this at once."

He pauses the song and then is gone, leaving Trey to wonder if he's done the right thing.

Riddle had started to come to the sekai often. From complaining to bragging about his accomplishments, Riddle saw Trey often. He spoke to Cater to a lesser extent, as the boy usually took a backseat in the conversations Riddle has with Trey and was never the one to be the first person Riddle sees when he enters the sekai.

Today is different. Riddle arrives, calling out for Trey. The one who answers is Cater, "Trey's a bit busy right now! Why don't you tell ole Cay-cay your woes?"

Speaking to only Cater isn't something Riddle ever sought out to do, but Trey is always on Riddle's side, why would Cater be any different?

"Before that, what is Trey busy with?" Riddle asks. He does want to know what Trey finds so important.

"You know how forever ago you mentioned how there's supposed to be two other boys here? He's seeing if he can find them." Cater says.

Riddle nods. It makes sense that Trey would like to round the troupe out. Satisfied with that answer, he starts telling Cater about the woes he has with his dorm underlings being unable to properly follow the rules.

It's a surprise when Cater speaks up and, unlike Trey, does not assure Riddle that he's in the right. "Ever tried, like, trying to get closer to the people in your dorm? They'll probably listen to you better if you do." Cater says, defying Riddle's expectations.

"If they would like to be my friends they should have a shred of decency. And people need not be my friend in order to do what's expected of them." Riddle responds. Really, he can't see why Cater is urging him to interact with those hooligans. He's here to help Riddle and telling him to make friends isn't helping.

"You sure? Wouldn't it be totes real nice to have some buddies irl?" Cater asks.

"I have you and Trey, do I not? I don't need more." Riddle answers, rather matter of factly. He truly believes he's sated in the friendship category, even if his friends only existed in a place no one else can get to.

"If you ever change your mind, I've got all sorts of friend making tips for you." Cater grins, although something seems off about that grin.

Riddle scoffs.

Riddle has moved up a grade when something new happens in his sekai. He still visits the place regularly, today being one of those days.

He's sitting on a picnic blanket he had left there, enjoying a conversation with Trey and Cater when Trey asks a rather odd question.

"Riddle." He starts, in an almost hesitant way, "Don't you want to find out what your goal is?"

"We've spoken about this. My goal is to surpass the expectations my mother has set for me." Riddle says.

Trey knows all about Riddle's situation with his mother, her controlling nature, helicopter parenting, and how everything has lead to the Riddle that's sitting beside him now. Trey's aware he should've been pushing Riddle to find his goal instead of indulging his skewed views. But he finds himself unable to. He doesn't give Riddle that push forward.

"Is this really the guy you're wasting time on?" A boy strolls into view, Riddle recognizing him as Ace Trappola. Or, more accurately, a version made for Riddle's world.

"Ace…" Trey starts as if he was going to scold Ace but fails to do so, finishing with, "Be nice."

"Waited forever to show up here and nothing's gotten done. What have you guys even been doing?" Ace continues on.

Ace would've gone on further but something slinks out of the shadows and moves towards Riddle rather quickly towards Riddle. It isn't until whatever it is comes to stop that Riddle can tell what, or more specifically, who it is. The final member of the Heartslabyul subgroup, Deuce Spade. He stands in front of Riddle, gazing down at Riddle and holding some sort of case that can't be seen into with strings protruding from a gap in the case that are bound to his arm.

"Do you need something?" Riddle asks, desiring to move away from the boy looming over him.

Wordlessly he leans down and bumps his forehead against Riddle's before straightening back up and walking back to Ace.

"What was that?!" Riddle is shocked at the absurd happening.

"He's saying hello. Deuce over here is a man of few words and fewer brain cells." Ace answers in place of Deuce who shoots him a glare.

"Why?" Riddle refuses to accept an answer so vague.

"What part of a man of few words doesn't click for you? How the heck do you want me to find out?" Ace says, a mix of mockery and slight agitation.

"Ask him. A few words does not mean no words. Surely he can manage to say something." Riddle glares at Ace with an expression far more intense than the one Deuce gave him earlier.

"Let's calm down. If Deuce doesn't want to say anything we shouldn't force him into it." Trey steps in before it can turn into a full blown argument.

"How is he meant to help me if he says nothing?" Riddle turns his head to face Trey. This question is less rude than his earlier ones, coming strictly from confusion instead of agitation.

"Body language." Cater pipes up. "That's what he did earlier."

"I don't want that." Riddle replies.

"Why are you so ungrateful? He's made an effort to communicate with you." It's up in the air if Ace is defending his friend or doing this to get on Riddle's nerves.

"He can find another way." Riddle crosses his arm.

"No." Ace replies.

Riddle wishes he brought his wand. It may be unfair to use magic on someone who was designed to be a newbie mage, but Ace has it coming. "What do you mean no? Are you defying me?"

"Yes." Ace's blunt one word answers frustrate Riddle more than most people manage to.

Before Ace says something else, Trey puts both his hands up in a motion meant to pacify. "We should at least try to get along."

"We can get along when he learns to behave." Riddle snaps.

"I'll behave when he puts some effort into trying to find out his goal instead of wasting our time. He's progressed as much as Deuce talks." Ace says and Deuce adjusts the case he's holding.

"I've already figured out what I want! I don't need the help of someone so defiant." Riddle replies.

Deuce grabs Ace's shoulder to draw his attention to him. He then shakes his head.

Riddle raises an eyebrow. "What's he trying to say?"

"He agrees with me." Ace fills in for Deuce.

"Maybe he's trying to tell you to calm down. It's awfully tense here." Trey says.

"Maybe we should separate for a bit. Would so help everyone calm down." Cater joins the conversation once again.

"If you guys never stop babying him he's never going to change." With that said Ace heads off into the rose maze.

Deuce lingers behind, staring at Riddle with disappointment, or perhaps pity, in his eyes before following Ace.

"Who do those two think they are, showing up so delayed and then doing nothing but try to frustrate me? They need to learn how to behave." Riddle says to Trey.

Hesitantly, Trey smiles. "Maybe they just need to settle in. Once they get comfortable they'll see things your way." Trey says, but he doesn't believe his own words. Ace is right when he says Riddle has made no progress. Since he became housewarden of his dorm Riddle's behavior has only worsened. But Trey hasn't and will not speak up about it. Riddle needs someone on his side and Trey will be that person.

It's not like Cater has mentioned Riddle's behavior, at least not to Riddle's face. The two have spoken about their concerns many times but have never done anything to address it besides Cater's light pushes to try and get Riddle to make friends.

"They better. This place is meant to be my sanctuary. If they won't listen to me they don't belong here." Riddle huffs and, once again, Trey wonders if he's doing the right thing.

Neither Ace or Deuce approach Riddle in the following days. Occasionally Riddle will catch glimpses of the two walking through the maze. He never calls out for them, still bitter over their first meeting. If they want to speak to him they need to apologize first.

The next time Riddle is forced to see them, their meeting is still unpleasant.

Trey had excused himself to go complete a some task during one of Riddle's vent session. When Trey's footsteps can no longer be heard Ace enters the part of maze Riddle has been lingering in, Deuce trailing behind him like last time.

"Still making no progress? Have you given up on even trying to do anything besides tyrannically ruling your dorm?" Ace asks, once again getting under Riddle's skin.

"Have you come to waste my time again? I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to." Riddle replies.

"You're wasting everyone here's time." Ace scoffs.

Deuce brushes by Ace and walks to stand directly in front of Riddle. The case he's normally holding gone, now replaced by some sort of doll resting on the crook of his arm the way one would hold a small child. Not, not a doll, some sort of marionette judging by the strings that are still wrapped around his arm. He leans down, brushing his cheek against Riddle's and lightly kissing Riddle's cheek twice.

Riddle jumps back. "That greeting is not appropriate for this scenario! La bise is not to be used for people who have a relationship as distant as our's!"

Deuce cocks his head to the side, his confusion clear. This was his effort to show respect towards Riddle but it seems he has failed to properly portray his feelings.

"Are you going to reject every attempt he does for saying hello?" Ace says.

Ignoring him, Riddle scolds Deuce. "We are far too distant from one another to greet each other with that. Nor are we equals."

Deuce blinks slowly at Riddle, trying another form of greeting. It's lost on Riddle as he knows little about cat behavior. He takes it as expressing confusion again.

Riddle lets that pass since Deuce's heart is in the right place, or it seems to be compared to the other half of the duo. "What has made you bring that marionette out of its case? And what's the purpose of it ?"

Deuce looks flattered that Riddle is interested in his marionette. But that only lasts a moment as Ace uses Deuce's silence to speak for him. "Ain't it obvious? It's meant to be you."

Observing the marionette, Riddle can see that it has a similar hair and eye color to him, but it's clearly modeled to be a mature woman. Riddle has no time to protest what Ace had said before he begins talking again.

"A puppet like this suits you real well. You're your mommy's puppet, too self-righteous to live life different from how you were ordered to." Ace is awfully smug as he taunts Riddle.

It is brought into question if Deuce's marionette is for that reason by the scowl he directs at Ace but Riddle is too consumed with rage to even think about anything except Ace's insults.

"Who do you think you are to insult me?! I am not self-righteous, I am right!" Riddle shouts, chest heaving with raw emotion.

Deuce puts his free hand on Riddle's chest, holding him in place so he couldn't turn the fight to something above a shouting match, knowing this will only worsen Riddle's view of him. But even with that sacrifice he can do nothing to stop the two from yelling at one another.

Trey and Cater appear as the verbal fight slowly worsens, looking as if they had run there. "What's going on?" Trey asks.

"These two cause nothing nothing but trouble! Rid them from my sight at once! I want them gone!" Riddle orders the older two. At first they don't react, but that's only for one moment before each one of them drags the duo from Riddle's sight.

Cater returns, but Trey does not. "Where's Trey?" Riddle looks around, scanning for the person he's closest to.

"He's giving the Adeuce duo a talking to. But don't worry, I'm here to keep you company." Cater forces up cheer as he talks. He's not pleased with what he's just done, but that won't erase the fact he did it. He should at least attempt to calm Riddle down.

Riddle frowns. He would prefer both of them be there, but he can wait for Trey's inevitable return. "What's the point of having those two here if they intend to do nothing but bother me? This place is here to help me pursue my goal, how am I meant to do so if they're standing in my way?!" The intensity from the earlier situation still pumping through Riddle, causing him to lack control of his volume.

"They are trying to help. They just got different ways than me and Trey. They're here 'cause you need them." Cater gently tries to explain the scenario out to Riddle. It's his sekai, they're meant to be there for him. "Maybe you should get to know them. The way you guys interact will def change if you guys get closer. Deuce-y over there is pretty affectionate with you."

"How am I meant to get to know a person who refuses to utter a word?" Riddle's disscontempt with the situation obvious.

"Ask yes or no questions and he can nod or shake his head to answer. Unless you'd rather start by getting to know Ace." Cater adds Ace as the only other option as he's aware it'll force him into talking to at least one of them.

"I will attempt to have a discussion with Deuce. I cannot promise it'll help us bond." From the way Riddle is speaking it sounds like he's being forced into solving a hostage situation, not trying to make friends.

"Atta boy! Trey's probably all done scolding them by now, why don't you go snag Deuce for some alone time." Cater gives Riddle a slight nudge, pushing him into heading off whether he wants to or not.

Riddle mutters an array of words to express his frustration under his breath. Cater can only hope some progress is made between those three.

Riddle heads through the rose maze, heading in the direction he can heard voices. Although he cannot hear Trey, Ace's shouting is enough to help Riddle find where they are. Riddle is almost rounding a corner before he can hear the conversation clearly.

"You know Riddle's situation, you can't be too upset with how he acts." Riddle hears Trey say.

"Course I know it! But just because he's been hurt doesn't mean he gets to swing around and hurt other people! Have you even thought about how the people in his dorm must feel? Have you even done anything to try and help him?" As Ace yells this, Riddle stays as still as he can so he can eavesdrop.

"I don't want to push him into something he's not ready for." Trey says.

"So you're going to coddle him forever? Are you going to pretend everything's okay so you don't make him upset? Are you even actually on his side?" Ace continues on.

"I…" Trey starts but ultimately never finishes his sentence.

"He doesn't have any friends and you're one of the causes of it! You can't even manage to count yourself as his friend, just his defender!" If Trey has a response to what Ace had just said Riddle wouldn't hear it. He'd stormed off.

Trey, who he had put his utmost faith in, has stabbed him in the back. It is not just Ace who is intent on causing him problems, all of them must be. He's digging his phone out of his pocket when he can hear footsteps heading his way.

"It must be Trey, here to explain that Ace was simply being harsh and that he is on my side." Riddle thinks. When he looks up he's greeted by Deuce with that stupid marionette still tied to him.

"Is there a reason you chose to follow me?" Riddle snaps. "Have you come to rub salt in my wounds?"

Deuce shakes his head. He hasn't stepped into Riddle's personal space as he tends to, but Riddle still has no want to see his face.

"Do you intend to comfort me to make up for the earlier trouble you've caused? How do you plan to do that if you're too stubborn to break your goal of staying silent?" The only person Riddle wants to see less than Deuce is Ace.

Even after Riddle has tutted him for his silence Deuce stays quiet. He's another thorn in Riddle's side.

"Is there a reason you've chosen to never utter a word to me? Is there some deeper meaning to your silence or are you just being spiteful?" Riddle peppers Deuce with questions he knew the other would fail to be able to properly answer.

As Deuce thinks of a way to answer Riddle can almost see the cogs turning in his head. Deuce steps closer to Riddle, close enough that he's able to brush his fingertips against Riddle's throat.

"You chose not to talk to me because I talk?" Riddle asks. Deuce shakes his head.

"Because I haven't given you permission?" Deuce shakes his head at the answer again.

He drags his fingertips up Riddle's throat to his lips. "Stop that." Riddle says, "If you intend to help me at least tell me why you won't speak to me."

Still Deuce doesn't respond. This time he points at Riddle's throat and then the marionette he's holding with his other arm.

"You're back to mocking me?!" Riddle is absolutely sick of this behavior.

Deuce shakes his head again. He must've come to some sort of realization as he writes letters out in the air.

M-O-M

"Mom?" Riddle repeats what Deuce has written. Deuce grins and nods enthusiastically upon finally getting his message understood.

Deuce smoothes the hair of the marionette and the pieces of the puzzle fit together in Riddle's head.

The marionette is not a representation of Riddle, it's a stand in for his mother. It is not bound to Deuce, Deuce, the true marionette in this situation, is bound to it. He doesn't speak as a reflection of how Riddle lets his mother speak for him. But Deuce's version of Riddle's mother is inanimate, leaving Deuce unable to say a word.

Riddle is nauseous at confronting a representation of him and his mother on another person. Ace's insults are preferable to the good natured Deuce being a humanization of something he's refused fo acknowledge.

He reaches for Deuce's throat, unsure if he's going to squeeze the life out of it or attempt to provide some comfort. Deuce must assume the best of Riddle, letting him wrap his hand around his throat. Riddle lets his hand linger there before he realizes something is horribly wrong and pulls his hand away like he's been burned.

Deuce is not a representation of Riddle's life now, but what it would become if things do not change. A point past where Riddle let his mother speak for him, he's the point where Riddle would lose his ability to ever speak for himself. A time where he could never express what he truly wants because the problem has deepened to such a degree that he couldn't escape.

Deuce's vocal chords were severed. Even if he wants to, he can never speak for himself. Deuce exists in Riddle's sekai to show him the unfortunate future he may stumble into, the lack of free will.

It's no surprise why Ace lashes out at Riddle. He idolizes the person who, deep down Riddle has known for a while, is an abuser. He's lived in such deep denial of the situation that in order to force him to acknowledge it his sekai created a version of Ace's friend who has had his vocal chords mutilated. And Ace constantly heard Riddle praise such a woman.

But if his mother is not right, what is Riddle? He's been raised by his mother's view of the world and has since pushed that world view on others. Is Riddle in the wrong? He couldn't be.

Shoving his doubts deep down, he willing chooses to drown himself in denial. He does not want to find himself guilty so he'll find everyone else guilty. Riddle lets out an ear piercing scream.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Ace appears at the scene, running up to where Riddle and Deuce are standing.

"You are! You're all against me! You've brought me here to ruin my life! This entire place was created to lure me into feeling safe so you could break me down!" Riddle's frantic, chest heaving not with anger but this time despair. He's aware Trey and Cater arrived soon after Ace and declares them equally as guilty as the rest.

"Riddle…" Trey tries to head towards Riddle, to comfort him.

Riddle rejects this. "Don't you come near me! You've turned against me just as they have!" What Riddle thinks is bile rises in his throat, bubbling in his throat.

Although Trey is not able to approach Riddle, Ace is close enough to grab Riddle by the collar. "Stop it with your hissy fit! Everything that happens here is cause of you and your inability to take responsibility for your own actions!"

"I don't need to take responsibility! My actions are just!" Riddle shouts back equally as loud as Ace had shouted at him.

Ace slams his fist into Riddle's jaw, sending him careening to the ground. Riddle's head spins. He can hear the voices of everyone else, but can't make out their shouts and gasps. He's pulled into sitting position, coming face to face with a concerned looking Trey.

Riddle feels the bile rise higher in his throat, coughing it up in Trey's face. It's not bile he coughs up, but a inky black goo. Riddle is aware what that is. He's heard about it in classes.

It's blot. But Riddle can't overblot. He's not at fault so why must he feel bad? Why must it hurt?

It's a swirling blaze of emotions as he blots, all far more intense than anything he's felt before.

"You!" He howls at Ace. "You'll regret the day you ever crossed paths with me! All of you will!"

"I think," Ace says pensively, "We're in danger." Deuce nods solemnly in agreement.

"I'm not going down until this brat finds out what his goal is." Ace says. "And you two better take responsibility and step in."

Without mentioning names it's clear Ace is speaking to the residents who had been in the sekai far longer than he had. The regret the two had been facing, the questioning of all their actions, the wondering if what they had been doing is right, they're given a chance to make it all wash away. To show they actually do want to help Riddle.

Steeling himself Trey answers Ace's call to action by stepping forward and readying himself.

"Really? We're just going to join in and go for it?" Cater looks around but moves to join Trey.

Deuce nudges Cater as if to reassure or convince him. Deuce doesn't seem particularly nervous. One could say he looking antsy to get into the fight. This doesn't reassure Cater.

Not that there is any choice to not fight. Even if Ace and Deuce are unexperienced they have Trey and Cater backing them up. All four of them have a chance at stopping Riddle.

Riddle lunges forward and Ace dodges out of the way. But it's not Ace Riddle was reaching for, it's the marionette. Riddle had grabbed the imitation of his mother, wanting an answer for her. He wails and shouts to his mother, the strong emotions Riddle feels prevalent in his expression as he attempts to pull the marionette into his arms, uncaring if Deuce's arm comes with it.

With Riddle trying to wrestle the marionette away from Deuce, Ace takes this as a chance to strike the finishing blow. "Hey! Make sure to duck at the right time!" He yells over to Deuce. Ace has enough faith in Deuce to believe he'll be able to time it right.

Ace's belief is in the right place as Deuce manages to duck, the connecting strings tearing as Riddle is thrown backwards onto the ground. Trey sprints to where Riddle is, holding him tightly in his arms.

"Mother," Riddle thinks with his eyes shut tight, "What am I meant to believe about you?" He clutches the marionette as bits and pieces fall off it.

"Riddle!" Trey calls out. Riddle opens his eyes and Trey brings him into a tight hug causing the what remains of the marionette to crumble away. Riddle leans into Trey's hug as the lingering blot fades away.

"You better have learned your lesson or else we nearly died so you could have a good time." Ace says, looking down at Riddle from a standing position. "You even broke Deuce's toy."

Riddle looks at Deuce standing besides Ace, unraveling the strings that hadn't been pulled away. Riddle opens his arms up, letting the parts of the marionette that had landed in his arms land on the ground. Before what had just happened Riddle would've frantically tried to stick the pieces together. But now his idolization of his mother's teaching has fallen apart like the marionette.

"I don't think I ever truly idolized her. I think I clung to what I had been taught because it was the only thing I had. I didn't want to let go because I would've had to acknowledge what she had done and what I have done to others." Riddle begins tearing up. His phone lights up as the formerly unnamed song gains a title.

"That's not good enough." Ace says.

"Take it easy." Cater nudges Ace. "We've made totes good progress."

"We haven't made any progress if he hasn't figured out what he wants." Ace looks from Cater to Riddle. "So, what is it?"

Riddle dissects all that happened in his mind, what each member of the sekai had given him advice on. "I want to be my own person. I don't want to live my entire life the way my mother wants me to."

Ace gives a satisfied, and slightly smug smile. "That's good enough for now."

Trey helps Riddle stand, bringing him up to be included where everyone else stood. It feels nice to not be distant from everyone else.

"Now," Ace continues, "Next time you come bring apology gifts for everyone. It's the least you can do to make up for what we just went through. And it's weird to see Deuce's arm in full view. Cover it again."

Deuce shrugs. He doesn't seem to be demanding anything, but he does shift his arm some in order to show he isn't thrilled to have nothing there.

Riddle relents to Ace's wishes. He feels he needs to take steps forward when it comes to understanding other people and seeking forgiveness is one step he can take.

He hands out each box, looking everyone over to see if they enjoyed the items he got them. Deuce is the final one to open his box, revealing a marionette that is not a recreation of his old one, but a brand new design. Something that meant as much to Riddle as it does to Deuce. It's a sign Riddle is becoming his own person.

Deuce grins then presses a quick kiss to Riddle's lips.

"What was that?" Riddle is reeling by how easily Deuce shares physical affection. He wishes Deuce would put some thought into any of his actions.

"A thank you, duh." Ace replies. "You grow used to his way of showing how he's feeling."

"He does this to everyone?" Riddle asks.

"You can't prove he doesn't. 'Sides did you think he just never communicated with us? You haven't even seen half of how he does things." Ace says. "Wait, don't tell me, was that your first kiss?"

"So what if it was?" Riddle answers and Ace resists the urge.

"Congrats man! This sekai is really moving you forward in life already!" Ace mockingly congratulates.

Riddle huffs at him. "Preach to me from your corner of no relationships!"

"Let's not fight. Aren't we all friends now?" Trey says.

"Let's take a selfie to remember this by! Everyone say cheese!" Cater gets everyone together for a photo. A photo Riddle fondly sets as his phone background.

#riddle rosehearts #trey clover #cater diamond #ace trappola #deuce spade #twst #twisted wonderland #project sekai #prsk #written prophecies #alternate universe prophecy

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