Yul: He has us trapped.
Aster: I know… but how? I didn’t see him do anything to set this up.
Yul: I doubt he’ll give us details without agreeing to his challenge.
Aster: Hm… maybe we should just bite the bullet.
Yul: No, that’s what he wants.
Aster: Yeah, and he clearly trapped us to get it. It’s not like he’s going to tell us how to escape, so we might as well-
Isaiah: Oh, I will.
Aster and Yul both turn to Isaiah, looking confused.
Isaiah: You’re trapped inside the Temperance’s grasp. This hallway is a prison, and the only way to escape it is to have patience.
Aster: What the hell does that mean?
Yul: (Temperance?)
Isaiah: If you’re patient, the exit will appear before you.
Aster: Okay, now I really want to kick this guy’s ass.
Yul: Are you referring to the Temperance… tarot card?
Aster: Huh?
Isaiah: Of course.
Yul: I see...
Aster: What’s that about?
Yul: When upright, that card represents patience, so I think we should take what he’s saying literally.
Aster: Okay… and?
Yul: I assume he means this prison's exit will eventually appear. We just have to wait for it.
Aster: And how long will that take?!
Yul: I don’t know; we have to be patient.
Aster: *frustrated grunt* Whatever, it’s not like we’re in a rush.
Isaiah: You probably should be.
Aster: What did you say?!
Isaiah sits down.
Isaiah: Let’s just say you’re not the only ones that walked into a trap.
Yul: Hm? Are you referring to-
Aster: What did you guys do to Daniele and Tyson?!
Isaiah: Nothing yet, but I assume time is running out before the Vanguard has its newest member.
Aster: Why you!
Aster starts walking towards Isaiah, but Yul grabs his arm.
Yul: Don’t bother with him; it’s a waste of time.
Aster: *grunts* Yeah, you’re right, but we need to get to Daniele and Tyson fast.
Yul: Yes, but we must stay calm and wait for our chance to leave.
Aster: And what if it never comes?
Yul: Then we just have to hope Tyson and Daniele have everything handled.
Isaiah begins meditating.
Isaiah: (They’ll never make it out of this prison in time, and even if they do… Well, we have backup plans for a reason.)
Tyson looks at Daniele and winks; she winks back.
Tyson: 私は彼女に何を賭けるべきですか？[What should I make her bet?]
Daniele: 彼女にヴァンガードを去るように頼んでください。彼女を解放できれば、貴重な情報を提供してくれるでしょう。[Ask her to leave the Vanguard. If we can free her, she could provide us with valuable information.]
Tyson: そうです、やります。[Right, I'll do that.]
Daniele: これは良い考えですか？[Are you sure this is a good idea?]
Tyson: もちろん、私がカンニングしても彼女は私を打ち負かすことはできません。[Of course, she can't beat me if I cheat.]
Tyson pulls out a deck of cards.
Tyson: What do you say we cut to the chase?
Lilith: What did you have in mind?
Tyson: A game, we each put 20 points on the line. If I win, you leave this “club.”
Lilith: That’s fine, and if I win, you’ll join.
Tyson: Sure, but I ain’t losing.
Lilith: I don’t intend to either.
Tyson laughs; he walks over to a table and places the deck down. Lilith walks to the opposite side of the table.
Tyson: We’ll play High Card, nice and simple.
Tyson scatters the 52 cards face-down on the table.
Lilith: What are the rules?
Tyson: We’ll each pick up and reveal a card from the table. Whoever draws the higher card wins; the tiebreaker will be determined by suit. Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, in that order. A coin flip will determine the person who draws first for the round.
Tyson tosses Daniele a coin.
Lilith: I see, and how many rounds will we play?
Tyson: We’ll do best of 5.
Lilith: Right. I’m okay with these rules.
Tyson: (What an idiot, she’s not even bothering to check if the cards are marked. Plus, that coin could be double-sided… it’s not, but the cards are definitely fixed. She’s a fool if she goes along with this.) Alright, then, let’s make our bet official.
Tyson offers Lilith his hand.
Tyson: What do you say?
Lilith: I agree.
Lilith shakes Tyson’s hand.
Tyson: Then let’s get started.
Daniele: (Be careful, Tyson…)
Tyson: Daniele?
Daniele: Right, uh, heads will be Lilith, tails will be Tyson.
Daniele flips the coin.
Tyson: (This is nothing but a formality, it doesn’t matter who goes first or second for me.)
The coin lands heads.
Daniele: Lilith will pick first.
Lilith: Right, hm…
Lilith stares at the cards.
Tyson: (This is the perfect game to cheat at. Once I see what card she’s drawn, I just need to grab one slightly higher than it. The cards are marked, so she could only notice if she took the time to inspect them, but she didn’t, so I know exactly which card is where. Therefore, if she draws a 6, I’ll grab an 8. You can’t call me a cheater for picking a card like that, can you? I’ve got this in the bag.)
Lilith: I think I’ll go with this one.
Tyson: Huh?
Lilith reaches for a card.
Tyson: (No way!)
Lilith picks up the card and reveals it: The Ace of Spades. Tyson is shocked.
Lilith: Well, well, well, it looks like I win this round.
Daniele: Huh? What? But Tyson hasn’t drawn yet!
Tyson: I don’t need to…
Daniele: Why?
Tyson: Per the rules, the highest card on the board is an Ace, and the highest suit is Spades. Which means she drew the highest possible card available. I can’t beat it.
Daniele: What!
Lilith: It looks like it’s my lucky day! That’s 1 point for me, 2 more, and I win.
Tyson: *frustrated grunt*
Lilith sets the Ace of Spades aside.
Tyson: (She couldn’t be cheating, right? No, the only way to cheat at this game is to know which card is where. There’s no chance she deciphered my markings that quickly. They’re far too precise for an untrained eye to notice without looking at them closely. So there’s only one explanation… she just got lucky!)
Lilith: Are we ready for the next round?
Tyson: Yeah, I am… Daniele?
Daniele: Right, same rules as last time.
Daniele flips the coin.
Tyson: (Just because she got lucky once doesn’t mean my strategy changes.)
The coin lands heads.
Daniele: Lilith first again…
Lilith: Yay me, let’s see… which card should I take?
Lilith scans the cards.
Tyson: (My strategy only has 1 flaw, but it requires unbelievable luck to exploit it. First, she needed the coin to let her pick first, a 1 in 2 chance, but then she needed to pick the one and only card I couldn’t beat, a 1 in 52 chance. Multiply those odds, and I have a 1% chance of losing a single round. This isn’t a problem because she needs three rounds to win the game. And the odds of her taking home a 2nd in total are 0.00009%. So, I have no reason to panic.)
Lilith reaches for a card.
Tyson: (Are you kidding me!)
Lilith reveals the Ace of Hearts. Tyson is speechless.
Daniele: Wait… that means she wins again!
Lilith: My, am I lucky or what?
Tyson starts sweating.
Daniele: (I’ve never seen Tyson like this! He has to be cheating, but… her luck has completely boxed him out.)
Jace watches with a smile on his face.
Jace: (My Tyson… don’t you feel like a fool?)
Tyson clenches his fists and slams the table.
Tyson: (What am I supposed to do! It doesn’t matter if I know where every card is if she draws the only one I can’t beat!)
Lilith: Getting frustrated?
Tyson: How are you this lucky?! The odds of that happening are astronomical!
Lilith laughs.
Lilith: Maybe it isn’t that I’m getting lucky… maybe you’re just unlucky? I mean, I’m well aware that you’re cheating, but I can’t prove it. Why else would you so confidently challenge me to this match?
Tyson: If you think I’m cheating, then why did you accept my proposal?
Lilith: What can I say? Today didn’t seem like your lucky day.
Tyson: *frustrated grunt*
Daniele: (Tyson!)
Walker and Houston enter Ewing’s office.
Ewing: Hm? Don’t you two have classes you’re supposed to be teaching?
Walker: I can’t teach an empty classroom, much like most teachers in the school.
Houston: Principal Ewing, it’s time for you to put your foot down and stop this tournament. The students that are a part of this “Vanguard” club are not attending class.
Walker: That applies to about 90% of the student body, so it’s hard to call this place a school anymore.
Ewing laughs.
Ewing: That’s funny; Mr. Butler was just here proposing that we add an amendment to the tournament’s rules forcing all competitors to attend class.
Walker: There’s nothing funny about this situation, sir.
Houston: All students are required to attend class anyway. A rule change for the tournament shouldn’t be necessary.
Walker: The tournament needs to stop.
Ewing: I don’t see why we must cancel the tournament if we get the students back to class.
Walker: Do you not see what’s happened to the students that have joined that wretched club?
Houston: It’s like an epidemic, sir.
Walker: It’s getting close to the point where I believe the authorities should be involved.
Ewing thinks for a moment.
Ewing: First Adrian, and now you two…
Walker: Yes, because we’re all being sensible here.
Houston: I don’t believe a single teacher at this school besides you and Mr. Butler believes the tournament should continue.
Ewing: Hm…
Walker: We’re not asking you to make a decision now, but we believe it’s in the best interest of the students to stop everything the school is doing and launch a full-scale investigation into the Vanguard.
Ewing’s eyes widen.
“ Vanguard: Never question me. “
“ Vanguard: Believe it’s in the school’s best interest to grow the Vanguard. “
Ewing: No.
Walker: Wh-
Houston: Huh?
Ewing: This tournament is important to the students. I know that since you two are hero course teachers, you think your classes are the only ones that matter, but they’re not. We canceled the Sports Festival, and I will not cancel the SS Tournament too, and that’s the last I’ll be hearing of that.
Walker: Sir, that’s incredibly-
Ewing: I SAID THAT’S THE LAST OF IT!
Houston and Walker are taken aback.
Ewing: You two should go do your jobs.
Walker and Houston leave the room without saying a word.
Ewing: (Incompetent fools.)
Walker and Houston walk down the hallway to get away from Ewing’s office.
Houston: I’ve never seen him like this…
“ Adrian: Maybe that isn’t actually Ewing. “
“ Walker: Perhaps our culprit acquired that ring and used it on Ewing. “
“ Adrian: One problem. Ewing does check-ins with each of the Guardians often.“ - Chapter 165
Walker: Yeah… me neither...
Houston: What should we do?
Walker: Nothing drastic for now. I have some ideas, but I can’t discuss them with you.
Houston: Why not?
Walker: Because right now, the only person I trust is myself.
Houston: Hm?
Walker: Rachel has the right idea, training the students not currently infected by the Vanguard. You need to do that with the men in our classes.
Houston: And what about you?
Walker: Like I said, I’ve got some ideas.
Walker walks off.
Walker: (I need some information…)
Back at the girls’ training, Grace wakes up from her nap.
Grace: Ah… that was the best dream.
Alexis: That wasn’t a dream, Grace…
Grace: Even better!
Grace stands up and stretches; she looks around at the girls. Alexis has used up half of her stack of paper to no avail, Saige is lying on the ground in pain, Verity is resting her eyes, and Ash is sitting beside the pool, still soaking wet.
Grace: You guys sure aren’t making a lot of progress.
Ash: You just spent an hour passed out!
Grace: Sure did, but now I’ll give this my all!
Grace starts balancing the ball on her head.
Alexis: At least your challenge revolves around self-control; I’m not even sure mine is possible.
Ash: Me too… I’ve barely been able to get Alden anywhere.
Verity: My progress has been slow as well.
Alexis: I’m also pretty sure Saige needs to go to the infirmary…
Saige: *groans* I’m fine…
Suddenly Eve comes crashing outside through the window.
Eve: AH! THERE’S GLASS IN MY ASS!
Fatal: You’ll have to do better than that, Eve!
Alexis and Ash look dumbfounded.
Alexis: I guess we’re better off than Eve, at least…
Ash: Yeah…
Fatal walks outside and surveys the girls’ progress.
Fatal: Giving up already?
Ash: No, Ms. Fatal, but we’re having trouble seeing how these challenges are achievable. They’re so tough.
Fatal: Yup, and that’s the point. You’ve only been at it for a few hours. Did you really expect to be done already?
Alexis: W- well, no, we didn’t but-
Fatal: I gave you 12 hours for a reason, and if you don’t finish today, you’re back at it tomorrow.
Ash: B- but we-
Fatal: You want to get stronger, right? Well, here is your chance. I gave you these tasks because if and when you can complete them, you’ll know that you’ve grown in power. Heroes make the impossible possible! So, either shape up or ship out!
Fatal walks off.
Alexis: I guess she’s got a point.
Ash: Yeah, no matter what, we have to keep trying.
Saige: Yay...
Saige passes out.
Alexis: Eve! Can you take Saige to Recovery Girl?
Eve is ripping out shards of glass from her body.
Eve: *sighs* Yeah… I guess I should go too.
Fatal approaches Sydney and Blair.
Fatal: Having fun?
Blair and Sydney: No…
Fatal: Good! Then I guess I should tell you it’s time for your second chance.
Blair: Huh?
Sydney: Second chance?
Fatal: Tell me the one person you either are afraid of losing to the Vanguard or who you want to save from them the most.
Sydney: I already gave you that answer!
Fatal: Looks like you’ll have to keep at it, Sydney.
Sydney: *frustrated grunt*
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Fatal: Blair?
Blair: Hayze.
Sydney: Huh?
Fatal: Good girl, now go join the others.
Blair: Yes, Ma’am.
Blair hops down from her platform.
Sydney: Wh- I thought you were mad at him!
Blair: Yeah, I am.
Sydney: Then why is he your answer now!
Blair: Hm… what can I say? I guess I’m just crazy.
Blair gets out of the pool.
Blair: Oh, and thanks for your help.
Sydney: With what?
Fatal: Keep at it, Sydney. I’m sure you’ll figure it out someday.
Sydney loses her balance and falls into the water.
Sydney: GODDAMMIT!
Fatal and Blair walk over to the other girls.
Blair: So, what’s my next task?
Fatal: Simple.
Fatal wheels out a massive cooler full of ice cubes.
Fatal: I want you to have 5 ice cubes simultaneously covered in lava.
Blair: Wh- what?
Alexis: Welcome to the club…
Grace: Yay! T.T. is here!
Fatal: Good luck.
Fatal starts walking away.
Eve: I’VE GOT YOU NOW!
Eve lunges at Fatal, but she quickly kicks Eve in the chest and tosses her into the pool.
Alexis: Oof…
Ash: That’s gonna leave a mark…
Fatal: Better luck next time, Eve!
Angel flies atop the dorm’s roof and looks down at the girls.
Angel: (Good, they’re all together… this will make it easy.)
Angel’s bow materializes in his hand.
Angel: (It’s time to play matchmaker.)
Aster is pacing back and forth in the hallway. Isaiah is still meditating.
Yul: Aster, you don’t look very patient right now.
Aster: These bastards are messing with Tyson and Daniele, and if anything happens to them, it’s my fault. Sorry if I’m having trouble staying calm.
Yul: I understand, but if you want to help them, you need to play by the rules of this prison.
Aster: Mind teaching me?
Yul: Sure.
Yul sits down and begins meditating.
Aster: Oh great, now you’re doing it too…
Yul: Meditation is about achieving mental clarity, Aster. I believe that’s part of the puzzle for escaping the Temperance.
Aster: Huh?
Yul clears his mind and begins drowning out all distractions.
Aster: I don’t know if this is going to work.
Yul doesn’t respond.
Aster: Yul? Are you listening?
Yul takes a deep breath.
Yul: …
Isaiah opens his eyes and sees Yul.
Isaiah: (I should have guessed he’d figure it out.)
Yul suddenly disappears.
Aster: What!
Isaiah: *grunts*
Aster frantically searches around.
Aster: Yul! Yul?! Where did you go?!
Isaiah: He found the exit.
Aster: What?
Isaiah: His patience paid off, and he earned his freedom.
Aster: You seem pretty indifferent about that.
Isaiah: Should I not be?
Aster: Yeah, now Yul can go help our friends.
Isaiah laughs.
Isaiah: Do you really think I would have handed you the keys to escape without having a plan in case of an emergency?
Aster: What?!
Yul opens his eyes and finds himself alone in the hallway.
Yul: (I see… so the Temperance didn’t trap us in the hallway. Instead, it placed us inside an alternate space that looked just like it. These Vanguard powers are incredible.)
Yul stands up.
Yul: (Since Aster and Isaiah are gone, I must be free. I have to ensure Tyson and Daniele are alright.)
Yul starts running for the stairs when suddenly Killian appears and strikes him in the chest.
Yul: *pained grunt*
Killian: Hey! Where do you think you’re going!
Yul tumbles down the hallway.
Yul: I see… so you must be the backup plan.
Killian: *nasal grunt* You really thought we’d let you just walk away? No, you’re not interfering with the plan.
Yul gets to his feet.
Yul: I’m not the arrogant type, but you’re mistaken if you believe you can defeat me.
Killian: Who said I need to beat you? I’m just trying to run out the clock.
Yul: *grunts*
Killian: But don’t get the wrong idea. I’d love to test my mettle against an opponent of your caliber.
Killian takes a back stance.
Yul: (Huh? That stance…)
Killian: You noticed it instantly. Ha, why am I not surprised? My quirk, The Chariot, grants me complete mastery of Martial Arts. The old Killian was weak because he concentrated too much on his speed and never took the time to hone his technique. Well, now The Chariot has taken care of that for me.
Yul: (Another tarot card… perhaps these are the clues we need to find out who’s caused this mess.)
Killian lunges at Yul and chops at his neck, but Yul blocks with his forearm.
Killian: I’m not surprised a man of your intelligence could block that with so much ease.
Yul: (A Knifehand strike is incredibly powerful and precise… he wasn’t lying about the Chariot’s abilities. Breaking away from him could take some time… but I don’t have any.)
Tyson takes a deep breath.
Tyson: (Calm down, Tyson. Panicking isn’t going to get you anywhere, and you haven’t lost yet.)
Tyson looks at Lilith. She has a confident aura surrounding her.
Tyson: (She’s not cheating. I know that for sure, but it’s clear something’s up. She’s manipulated the luck variable for this game. I’m unsure how or when she did it, but that doesn’t matter. If I want to win, I need to change my strategy… and by that, I mean I need to cheat better.)
Tyson looks at Daniele out of the corner of his eye.
Tyson: (But the only way I can do that is by manipulating the coin toss, so I’ll get to draw first.)
Tyson gulps.
Tyson: (But I can’t do that. Not while the game is in progress, it’ll be too obvious. So… I’ve only got one option left.)
Lilith snickers.
Lilith: Ready for the final round?
Tyson: Yeah… flip it, Daniele.
Daniele: Are you sure, Tyson?
Tyson: Go for it.
Lilith: (Hm? Has he accepted defeat?)
Daniele flips the coin.
Jace: (This game is over, Tyson can do nothing but watch as his lousy luck flushes his control of this game down the drain.)
The coin lands heads.
Daniele: (Dammit!)
Lilith: Well, well, well, it looks like the final act is here. If I draw the Ace of Diamonds, I win.
Tyson: Yeah… you’re right.
Lilith: Hm?
Tyson points at a card.
Tyson: And it’s right here.
Jace, Daniele, and Lilith are shocked.
Daniele: (Tyson has to be lying! Right?)
Jace: (What’s he doing!)
Lilith looks at the card and hesitates.
Tyson: What’s wrong? If you pick this card, you win.
Lilith: What kind of idiot do you take me for? (With the Fool influencing his luck, it doesn’t matter which card I choose. It will always be the Ace of Diamonds. Unless… he’s telling the truth, and that actually is the card. If I actively choose not to pick that one… well, luck doesn’t matter.)
Lilith gulps.
Tyson: Better pick soon.
Lilith: (No, think about this rationally, Empress. It makes no sense for him to point at any card besides the one I need. Why? Because it changes nothing about the game. He'd lose if he pointed at a random card, and I called his bluff. But if he’s pointing at the Ace of Diamonds, at least he’s giving himself a fighting chance. Too bad that it’s so obvious.) Don’t mind if I do.
Lilith reaches for the card Tyson is pointing at.
Tyson: Are you sure about that?
Lilith laughs.
Lilith: Now I know for sure this is the card. You’d never try to misdirect me if I was wrong.
Tyson: Suit yourself.
Lilith picks up the card.
Tyson: Gotcha.
Lilith: What?!
Lilith drew the 2 of Clubs.
Tyson: That’s the lowest card on the table, which means I win this round by default.
Lilith is shocked.
Daniele: Yes!
Lilith: *frustrated grunt*
Jace: (No! How did he trick her?!)
Tyson: Who needs luck when you’re the best gambler there is?
Lilith tosses the card aside.
Lilith: Don’t get cocky yet! That trick won’t work again!
Tyson: (I know… that’s why I’ve gotta get creative to win this thing.)
Tobias, Alec, Gavin, Romeo, and Bruno are gathered in the Class 2-B dorm’s common area. Tobias is staring out the window while Bruno is doing pushups with Alec sitting on his back.
Alec: Ah… it’s kind of nice having everything be so quiet.
Romeo: I miss the girls… This place is starting to turn into a sausage fest.
Gavin: Romeo, you couldn’t get a girl if you were one.
Romeo: Wh- what does that mean?
Tobias: I think he’s saying that even the female version of you wouldn’t like you.
Gavin: Yes.
Romeo: Hey! That’s slightly rude!
Bruno: The girls are undergoing vigorous training, just like we should be.
Alec: Yeah, so keep up the good work, Bruno!
Alec laughs.
Romeo: Say… what do you guys make of the new guy? I didn’t like how Mr. Houston treated him like he was better than us.
Tobias: Well, he’s better than you, that’s for sure.
Romeo: HEY!
Alec: I don’t give a crap about him. He’s just another number in this class.
Gavin: As long as I can rip ass, I don’t care.
Bruno: We should look to him for leadership.
Alec: Huh? Say what?
Romeo: Why would we do that?
Bruno finishes his pushups and stands up, knocking Alec to the ground.
Alec: Hey!
Bruno: I know most of us don’t care about the rivalry between our classes anymore, but we should never forget that we’ve always lagged behind 2-A. It’s not that we lack strength or skill. Instead, our problems come from our inability to be a cohesive group. Everyone in this class is out for themselves and nobody else. Even I’ve been a culprit of that in the past.
Bruno flashes back to his defeat at Wes’ hand in the Final Exams.
Bruno: 2-A has always been able to work well with one another and place their trust in each other. The one time we did that, Gavin and Killian backed out of the idea and knocked one of our teams out of the Final Exams.
Gavin Yup.
Bruno stares at Gavin.
Alec: I don’t get why any of that matters. Who needs trust? I’m only out for number one.
Bruno: The island simulation opened my eyes to our class’ problems. The 2-A students worked well together and knew what they needed to do to succeed immediately upon arrival. Instead, our class fell apart, with most of us wallowing in sadness. And none of us reached the Final 4 of the tournament. We don’t have each other’s backs the way they do. We’ve done nothing to assist our brainwashed classmates. Perhaps it’s time we turn over a new leaf.
Alec scoffs.
Alec: I don’t care about those guys. They’re the idiots who got themselves in that mess; why should I waste my time and energy helping them?
Bruno: Do you not see how-
Romeo: If Alec doesn’t want to help, neither do I.
Bruno: You were JUST complaining about the girls!
Romeo: Yeah… well… I didn’t say I wanted to put effort into fixing it…
Bruno: *frustrated grunt* Gavin? Tobias? Thoughts?
Gavin farts.
Gavin: I mean, I’d love to help, but what are we going to do? Probably get clobbered.
Tobias is silent.
Bruno: *sighs* That’s not the point.
Alec pats Bruno on the shoulder.
Alec: Cheer up. I’m sure we’ll all care some year.
Alec walks off.
Bruno: (Godammit…)
Tobias: Perhaps you’re right, Bruno.
Bruno: Hm? You agree with me? Well, good, we can-
Tobias: But there’s a reason we’ve never been a team, and that isn’t going to go away because of a single speech.
Bruno: *grunts* I guess you’re right…
Tobias: Besides, I don’t think that class is as unified as you think.
Angel pulls his bow back and takes aim at each of the girls. Sydney, Alexis, Ash, Blair, and Grace’s names appear on his body as tattoos.
Angel: (I’ll ignore Verity since she’ll be joining us soon. I don’t know where Eve and Saige are, but I’ll mess with them later.)
Angel looks at Alexis.
Angel: (Aaron and Silver are two of the biggest threats left, and with Hayze no longer a part of 2-A, I’m sure they’ll be looked to for guidance.)
Silver’s name disappears from Angel’s body, and a translucent arrow materializes in Angel’s hand. Silver’s name is on the arrowhead.
Angel: (With the power of The Lovers, I can tear their trust apart like thin pieces of paper, and the best part… they’ll never know.)
Angel fires the arrow at Alexis; it phases through her. None of the girls were able to see it.
Alexis: (What the hell?)
Ash: Is something wrong, Alexis?
Alexis: N- no, everything is fine… (I think?)
Angel smiles.
Angel: (That should be good enough… for now. Let’s get the waves turning before we unleash the tsunami.)
Angel flies away.
Alexis: (That was strange…)
Hayze arrives at the front gates of U.A., and Adrian is standing there.
Adrian: It’s about time. What was holding you up?
Hayze: I had to chat with my “old” friends.
Adrian: Right… How did the mission go?
Hayze: It went well. I fought a few different villains.
Adrian: Including the Vampire Queen?
Hayze: Fatal told you?
Adrian: Yeah, I get why you did it, and you definitely were an asset, but you shouldn’t jump into fights you can’t win like that.
Hayze: I know…
Adrian: Yeah, and I know you won’t listen to me, but at least you know my stance on the matter. Did you have to kill anyone?
Hayze: One guy… I don’t feel bad, though. He was sick in the head.
Adrian: Good, and how has the ring fragment been holding up?
Hayze’s eyes widen.
Hayze: (Shit…)
Adrian: I know you’ve been doing a good job getting your personalities under your control, but I’m still worried about-
Hayze: It’s gone.
Adrian: Hm? What?!
Hayze: When Ivy killed me, she took the ring fragment.
Adrian: Huh?! Why didn’t you tell me that?
Hayze: It slipped my mind; I’m sorry.
Adrian: *frustrated grunt* Shit… I need to tell Ewing. Do you have any idea where it is now?
Hayze: No, I imagine she gave it to the Vampire Queen.
Adrian thinks for a moment.
Adrian: This complicates things… Hopefully, it’s forever lost inside her facility, but we need to be sure.
Hayze: Ivy’s still at the hospital, so if we go there, I can ask.
Adrian: Wait, she’s still alive?
Hayze: Remember that talk we had before I left for the mission?
“ Hayze: She didn’t choose the path she was on. She was forced into it, and until I’m sure she’s evil, I won’t stop believing she can be saved. “ - Chapter 149
Adrian: (Did he actually…)
Hayze: She’s still in recovery at the hospital and will answer any questions I have. We were already going there, so I’ll try to get to the bottom of this.
Adrian: Informing Ewing of the situation can’t wait. I have to go now.
Hayze: Then I’ll go by myself.
Adrian hesitates.
Adrian: Just try to stay out of trouble.
Hayze: No promises.
Adrian: Come find me as soon as you get back.
Hayze: Yessir.
Adrian runs off.
Hayze: (I got so used to controlling the personalities that I completely forgot about the fragment.)
Hayze flashes back to the fragment guiding him to Vargas.
Hayze: (If it fell into the wrong hands…)
Hayze runs out the front gate and heads to the hospital.
Hayze: (I can’t waste any time.)
As Hayze gets further away, Karma emerges from the U.A. gates, watching him.
Karma: (If he’s running where I’m heading, then this could get annoying.)
Back at the Vanguard dorm, Lilith laughs at Tyson’s situation.
Lilith: You know there’s no way for you to win, right? That trick won’t work twice.
Tyson: *grunts*
Daniele: It’s not over yet.
Lilith: You say that, but judging by your friend’s demeanor, I’d say he disagrees.
Daniele: Huh?
Tyson is sweating.
Tyson: (Unfortunately, she’s right… I’ve racked my brain every which way, and there’s no way I can win two more rounds of this game. She’s cheating by manipulating my luck somehow.)
Tyson looks over his shoulder.
Tyson: (My guess is she has friends in high places. It doesn’t matter, though. If I can’t prove that she’s cheating, there’s nothing I can do to stop it. The only way to get out of this is by making it so the game can’t finish.)
Tyson looks at Daniele out of the corner of his eye.
Tyson: (Normally, the gamble quirk stops outside interference, but Daniele is technically a part of this game. I could ask her to knock me out cold, nullifying the results… but that’s not my style. I may be a cheater, but I have respect for the game. So, I will lose, but if I’m going down… I’m going out swinging.)
Tyson starts clapping.
Tyson: Well, you got me.
Lilith: You’re right; I did.
Daniele: (What?!)
Tyson: So, why don’t you tell me my fortune?
Lilith smiles and pulls out a deck of tarot cards.
Lilith: With pleasure.
Daniele: What?! Tyson! Don’t tell me you’re giving u-
Tyson winks at Daniele.
Daniele: 你在做什麼？[What are you doing?]
Tyson: 我要失去丹尼爾 [I'm going to lose, Daniele.]
Daniele: 嗯？但 [Huh? But-]
Tyson: 木已成舟，覆水難收。現在我們需要關注接下來會發生什麼。[What's done is done. Right now, we need to focus on what comes next.]
Daniele: 那就是？[And that is?]
Tyson: 我會被洗腦，但這不一定是壞事。我可以成為學習如何修復每個人的關鍵。[I'm going to get brainwashed, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. I could be the key to learning how to fix everyone.]
Daniele: 你的意思是？[What do you mean?]
Tyson: 他們說當你加入他們時，你就會成為自己的理想版本。事實上，我對自己很滿意，所以我認為我不會改變太多，但這是你可以利用的。[They say when you join them, you become the ideal version of yourself. The truth is I'm pretty happy with who I am, so I don't think I'll change that much, but that's something you can take advantage of.]
Lilith’s eyes narrow.
Lilith: (What are they talking about?)
Tyson: 記住，我仍然會有我一直有的弱點。所以 有一天你可以用它來拯救我。[Remember, I'll still have the same weaknesses I've always had. So, you can use that to save me someday.]
Daniele: 什麼？為什麼“有一天？”為什麼不馬上！[What? Why "someday?" why not immediately!]
Tyson: 我需要時間來收集情報並了解有關這個“先鋒”的一切。一旦你放了我，我們就會有大量的信息。[I need time to gather intel and learn everything there is about this "Vanguard." Once you set me free, we'll have a ton of information.]
Daniele: 如果我們救不了你怎麼辦？[And what if we can't save you?]
Tyson smiles.
Tyson: I know you will. You three are the best there is.
Daniele: (Tyson…)
Lilith reveals the top card of the deck.
Lilith: The Magician, reversed. This represents trickery, illusions, and being out of touch. I’d say this fits you perfectly.
Tyson: Yeah… I love cheating and playing games with my opponents, but not in a good way. I guess my love for the girls could be considered out of touch, but hey.
Lilith: You’ll make a fine addition to the Vanguard.
Tyson: I’m sure I will. Why don’t we skip the coin flip and just have you draw first?
Lilith: That’s fine with me.
Lilith reaches for a card.
Daniele: (This is it.)
Daniele looks at Tyson. He smiles and gives her a thumbs-up.
Tyson: Tell Aster and Yul I’ll be pissed if they join this outfit.
Lilith reveals the Ace of Diamonds.
Lilith: Well, would you look at that. It looks like I win.
Lilith’s points rise to 84, and Tyson’s fall to 12.
Tyson: Yeah, so why don’t you “show me the light” already?
Lilith: Of course.
Daniele: Tyson!
Tyson stares into Lilith’s eyes. A purple Alpha symbol appears for a moment before Tyson passes out.
Daniele: No…
Jace smiles; he pulls out a walky-talky and speaks into it.
Jace: Temperance, Chariot, you can let the other two go now. We got him.
Isaiah releases the Temperance.
Aster: Huh?
Isaiah: You’re free to go.
Aster spots Killian and Yul in the hallway.
Aster: Yul! You didn’t get anywhere?
Yul: No, this hooligan held me back.
Killian: Yeah, but not anymore. I don’t care where you go now.
Aster: *grunts* Come on, Yul!
Yul: Right.
Aster and Yul run down the stairs.
Killian: Everything’s working out perfectly for us.
Isaiah: It’s a good thing Master tipped us off. This would have been much more challenging otherwise.
Killian: Yeah… but come to think of it, how did he know they were coming?
Isaiah: I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter.
Killian: Yeah… I guess you’re right.
Jace walks out from the shadows of the common area.
Jace: Good work, Empress.
Lilith: I wish I could take the credit, but it was mostly your doing, Fool.
Daniele: So, you’re the one who gave Tyson that rotten luck.
Jace: Yes, indeed, and he stood no chance once I sunk my fangs into him.
Daniele: Who did this to you?
Jace: Hm?
Daniele: This whole Vanguard epidemic, it all started with you. Why? Who convinced you to throw everything away like that?!
Jace: Convinced me? I joined the Vanguard of my own free will.
Daniele: Bullshit! Look at what you’ve done to your closest friends! Look at the harm you’ve brought upon this school! There’s no way anybody who once called themselves a hero chose this path!
Jace stares at Daniele.
Jace: (She’s right.)
Jace frantically shakes his head back and forth.
Jace: What we’re doing here is for the good of humanity. Your friend Tyson has been purified by the light of truth. And soon, you will be too.
Daniele: *frustrated grunt*
Aster and Yul arrive.
Aster: Daniele? Are you alright?
Yul: Tyson!
Aster notices Tyson.
Aster: What did you do to him!
Daniele: They got him, Aster…
Aster: What?!
Yul: Dammit…
Daniele: He was trying to save Lilith, but they cheated in a way even he couldn’t beat.
Aster: (Tyson actually lost a bet? I… I underestimated these guys way too much.)
Jace laughs.
Jace: You three can leave now. Tyson will be staying with us.
Aster: Leave?
Aster starts walking towards Jace.
Aster: I came here for answers, and you’re going to give them to me!
Yul: Aster! Calm down!
Aster: No way! This little bastard is-
Tyson starts laughing.
Aster: Tyson?
Yul: Is he…
Jace: Welcome to the Vanguard, Magician.
Tyson: Ah… it feels good to bask in the light.
Tyson stands up, and Aster tries to approach him.
Aster: Tyson, listen, man, whatever they did to you, you have to remember that we’re-
Tyson looks at Aster, and he disappears.
Yul: What!
Daniele: Where did Aster go?!
Tyson: A Magician never reveals his tricks.
Yul: Tyson, where is Aster?
Tyson: If I recall correctly, the Fool told you to leave. So leave.
Yul: But, Tyson we-
Tyson looks at Yul, then Daniele. They both disappear. Aster, Yul, and Daniele reappear just outside the dorm.
Aster: Wh- what happened?
Yul: It seems he teleported us outside.
Aster: *frustrated grunt* Oh, yeah? Well, we’re going back in there and-
Daniele: Aster! Tyson’s gone, and there’s nothing we can do about that... right now.
Aster: What do you mean by “right now?”
Daniele: Let me explain everything that happened before you stormed in there, okay?
Aster hesitates.
Aster: Fine.
Tyson laughs loudly.
Tyson: This new ability is handy. I’ll have to thank Master for it.
Jace: Yes, and he’ll be delighted to see you’ve joined us.
Tyson: I’m sure he will… so, what’s next?
Jace: Well, first, we need to get you a new outfit.
Tyson: Good, I’m looking forward to dawning my new digs.