Divus Crewel was lavishly and grandly event, garbed in an expensive handsome suit which fitted the theme, he was an eye-catcher that made many women swoon and be interested. He only drew them further in when they knew about him having a daughter, yes, asking him now if he would be keen to giving her a mother figure too.

They were amusing but Divus had no interest in having a new wife just yet, he was contented and happy at being able to fulfill his duty as Mary's father. As he was drinking his wine, the fashionable professor couldn't help the uneasiness which blanketed him whilst looking up at the sparkling, standout red decorations floating above them in the venue.

Why did he suddenly have this feeling that something was wrong?

There was no means for him to reach his daughter and Grim at the world they ventured into, the signal was not possible but Divus hoped they were doing alright. No, he was being a worrywart, he should feel certain they were okay.

---

It would be great if Divus was right about them being okay but his hunch was not wrong, he didn't need to know that though...

Mary gritted her teeth, wincing as she continued matching Grim's pace on running—her ankle was throbbing, and the wound it gotten from the shard glass was an angry swelling red. What the heck was that boy doing, grabbing handful of glass and using it as a gun cartridge?!

So many questions floating in the air needing answers; the 1 week of leisure turned into a nightmare an instant.

"KAAAAHHHH!!!" Grim jumped in surprise as he was down, sharp glass shards pierced on the ground only few centimeters from his body, almost nailing him in place. He hated being weak but being in this world was taking a lot of magic from him and the fact that his fire didn't purify the damn hostile creature--

The wild boy with red hair and pale manic green eyes arrived, cackling while holding his machine gun. He didn't bother wiping that blood off his forehead. "You're not going anywhere, anomaly, I am going to fucking mince you to pieces and put you in a bag! Then I'll get the other who ran away"

Someone followed next, the boy with green hair and red earrings, he didn't even look tired or disheveled. "Taiga please, calm down for a bit!"

"Shut up, Kusanagi! Don't you dare steal my prey or I'll make you eat these shards!" Taiga Hoshibami was seething.

Haku Kusanagi frowned at his word choices, "I do not plan to take your prey, I only ask you to chill because every time you take action, you involve civilians"

"That doesn't look like a goddamn civilian" Taiga pointed at Grim, still had that smug grin on his face.

Grim was panting heavily, although he no longer had the collar on, this world had some kind of force that restricted his magic. "This psychopath, he is even worse than Rook!"

Mary stepped in front of Grim despite her left ankle making it somewhat painful for her. She raised both arms to cover her friend from the two strangers. Her eyebrows furrowed, "Listen, I do not know what or who you are but I am not going to let you kill my friend!" Those emerald orbs gleamed with anger towards Taiga.

"Oh, this is new, associating with an anomaly?" Taiga raised a brow, his words dripping with sarcasm.

But Haku raised a hand to halt whatever frenzy movement the wild redhead planned to take next, "Go get the other anomaly, that one is your main target, I will take care of this clean-up"

"For real? You bastard just want to get your share" Taiga scoffed but he waved a hand in dismissal as if he was already bored, "Fine what-fucking-ever" And he left, jumping out of the window.

Haku took a flute out from behind and then began playing an ethereal, soothing tune. His narrowed teal-amber eyes were on Mary as he watched her fall on the floor and lose consciousness beside Grim. Both of them felt bubbles and water enveloping them until they went under.

.

.

.

Nggghhh, she had such a psychedelic but vibrant dream—a ballroom held in Moors and Riddle asking her for a dance. Oh wow, if only. Mary wanted to find some way to make the Heartslabyul Dorm Leader notice her and hopefully reciprocate her feelings.

Fluttering her eyes open, the redhead frowned because it was already a bright morning—the train was normal and there were no signs of mess although the other passengers were still gone. Grim was next to her, still unconscious.

"So it was a dream?" Mary wondered out loud, "The freaky guy with a gun and his companion with that equally weird long earrings--"

A chuckle from nearby, "Hey, don't say that about my earrings and I am still here"

Turning around, those green eyes widened and Mary almost scrambled up, holding onto the metallic pole as she saw Haku. "You're real!"

"And so is everything that happened earlier," Haku didn't look too happy, on the contrary, he seemed tired as he exhaled deeply. "This kind of mess usually happens whenever Taiga is assigned in a mission, I do apologize in his behalf for getting you tangled up. We would have a protocol to follow whenever a civilian got involved but..." His eyes slid to look at the sleeping Grim then back to Mary, a small smile plastered on Haku's lips again. "...You are not exactly normal, are you?"

Mary frowned, taking a step back but she tripped and lost her balance.

"Careful now--" Haku caught the redhead before she could fall flat on her back, he gazed down and saw the ankle wound only became worse, "That needs some serious tending"

This boy with red earrings had the same vibes and uniform as the other with a gun, Mary felt nothing but distrust towards him. "I can take care of it, we will drop by the next station and go to a clinic" That was a lie, her father packed them some healing salves before leaving Twisted Wonderland, those potions would do its magic. She pried Haku's arms off her midsection but the latter wouldn't let go. "Hey, please let go, you are being improper"

Although Haku was not acting like a psycho and rude, his hold on Mary was firm. "I am sorry but I get this feeling you will escape and I really cannot have that happening y'know?" He glanced back at the sleeping Grim, "You and your 'friend' are not a definition of normal, you are protecting an anomaly from being killed"

"I told you already he is not an anomaly!" Mary retorted, she didn't mean to shout but it grated on her nerves when they referred to her Ramshackle mate as an anomaly. Sure they weren't the most excellent Dorm in Night Raven College and Grim was brash, causing mischief and bashing heads against their classmates but he was also there all the time to protect her.

Haku raised a brow, "If not an anomaly, then what is he?"

Grim frowned and began shifting uncomfortably in the leather seat of the train, his face was troubled while mumbling.

"Grim?! You're sweating lots!" Mary forced herself out of Haku's hold, pushing him intentionally, and hurried to the raccoon-cat familiar's side, she touched him carefully and gasped. "You're hot! Hotter than normal!" No, this wasn't even a flu! A worse and cursed type of flu! His fur was changing its color, becoming bleaker and the fire in his ears was flickering on and off. "I need to get him home quickly!"

Haku walked towards the redhead, he observed Grim's state. "You need to come with me, I can help you"

"Liar," Mary scooped Grim from the seat, he was burning in her arms but she wouldn't budge. She narrowed her eyes filled with distrust at Haku. "...You will get rid of us like what the other guy did"

A frown sculpted on Haku's handsome face, damn this girl was stubborn. "Your friend is cursed, I do not know what kind of remedy you plan to do but I deal with this many times and I know there's a way around this or at least find what kind of curse hit him"

That made Mary's blood run cold in fear, "Curse?"

"Yes, look" Haku took a card from his pocket and showed it to the redhead—the card was shiny and has embossed gold lettering.

Mary read his name from the card, "Haku Kusanagi...? Third-year Hotarubi? Darkwick Academy?"

She read a poster about Darkwick Academy somewhere yesterday when she was going around Harajuku, it was quite popular and most of what she heard was that the school was exclusive for elites and not everyone could enroll. The redhead didn't give it much thought until today.

"That is where we will go, the school will be able to help your friend determine the curse and how to counter it," Haku explained as the train finally came to a halt and the speaker above announced the station where they were at.

Mary stared at him with distrust then glanced down at Grim, "For Grim" She finally nodded, "But if you deceive us, I swear I am going to have Floyd and Jade come at you"

"Did you say something?" Haku didn't hear the last parts as it was more of a murmur to herself.