The crimson dawn seeped through the drawn drapes, casting a theatrical red glow over the drama stage at the centre of the classroom. Riku stirred, stretching as though rising from a grand bed fit for royalty. In her mind, she envisioned velvet drapes, a goosefeather mattress, and a room adorned with relics of her dominion. She donned her vintage rouge corset over a dress, tightening the clasps with deliberate precision, placing her eyepatch to seal away evil and took hold of her oak staff, the Staff of Domination.
Striding to the window, she threw open the tattered curtains with a flourish. The fog outside clung to the walls, thick and impenetrable, blurring the view beyond the school grounds. Her crimson gaze scanned the ethereal haze as her grip tightened on the staff.
"By the shadows, the puppeteer guides us," she murmured in solemn prayer. Raising her staff high, she struck its base against the window frame with a sharp thud. "But I will not guide my house to ruin. End this madness, puppeteer!"
Her dramatic proclamation was interrupted by the door slamming open behind her. A younger girl entered, bowing low. “Lady Riku, you’re awake!”
Riku turned slowly, her crimson gaze falling on the girl. “Ah, Ms. Emi,” she said with regal authority. “You rise early to seek my counsel? What brought you here this morn?”
Emi hesitated, wringing her hands. “My Lady, I’m on breakfast duty this morning, and… well…” She swallowed hard, her voice trembling. “Our situation is dire. There’s trouble with the rations.”
Riku’s head tilted, confusion briefly crossing her face before she masked it with a chuckle. “Our food stocks? Impossible. We pooled our points, and there was enough for five days.”
““I don’t know what happened,” Emi stammered. Her gaze dropped to the floor. “Some people may have taken seconds, or… or perhaps someone...” Her voice faltered, unwilling to suggest outright theft.
Ruki eye glowed red, thump as she slam down her staff, “I see this for myself, lead the way”
Riku’s eyes narrowed, her crimson gaze seeming to glow as she slammed the staff against the ground with a resounding thump. “Show me. I will see this for myself.”
Emi flinched at the sound but quickly nodded. “Yes, my Lady. This way.”
Riku followed, her staff tapping the floor with deliberate rhythm. Each step echoed down the quiet hallway, punctuating the faint hum of drones overhead. Whispers flitted between shadowy corners, the muted voices of other students drifting in and out of earshot.
When they reached the storeroom, the door hung slightly ajar, its hinges creaking faintly as Emi pushed it open. The dim interior was a chaotic mess—wrappers crumpled in corners, overturned crates spilling scraps of supplies, and a dwindling stack of ration bars at the centre of it all.
A few club members were already there, their anxious murmurs filling the air. One boy crouched beside a half-empty crate, turning over an empty canister in disbelief. Another girl clutched a makeshift dagger, her knuckles white as she jabbed it toward a boy with messy hair and a patchy beard.
“You said the club had enough stockpiles for the week!” she hissed, her voice tight with frustration. “How is this all that’s left?”
The boy kicked an empty box “We all agreed to take the same amount, Kaito! You said if we pool points you’ll work it out!”
Kaito, the club’s self-proclaimed Quartermaster, raised his hands in exasperation. “And they were enough!” he snapped. “This doesn’t make sense. We checked everything yesterday—it should’ve lasted!”
Riku stepped inside, the tapping of her staff silencing the argument. Her presence seemed to fill the room, the air growing thick with expectation. She cast a theatrical glance over the disarray before levelling her crimson gaze at Kaito.
“Quartermaster,” she said, her voice echoing with regal authority. “Explain this treachery. Who dares to meddle with my dominion?”
Kaito fidgeted under her gaze, his bravado faltering. “I-I don’t know,” he stammered. “Everything was fine last night! But this morning…” He gestured helplessly at the scattered supplies. “This isn’t just overeating. Someone must’ve taken more than their share.”
The room erupted into murmurs, fingers pointing and accusations flying. “I saw Kenji sneaking around last night!” “It wasn’t me—I was on watch!” “Maybe the drones are messing with us!”
Riku slammed her staff against the racking, the sharp crack silencing the chaos. She strode to the centre of the room, her crimson gaze sweeping over the group. “Enough!” she commanded. “This betrayal must be rooted out. Speak now, and you may yet earn my mercy.”
A nervous silence fell over the room, the tension palpable. Finally, Emi spoke, her voice trembling. “There was someone…” All eyes turned to her as she hesitated, glancing toward Riku for reassurance.
“Speak, Emi,” Riku said, her tone softer but no less commanding.
“I saw someone sneaking around last night,” Emi admitted, her hands clutching the hem of her skirt. “Near the storeroom. It was him, The Alchemist.”
The name sent a ripple through the room. Whispers of The Alchemist have circulated among the students for weeks, before the collapse he angling to leader there Chuunibyou Club after Riku leaves, but in the aftermath he wanted to lead, with a knack for scavenging and manipulating chemicals he is a risk foe, if he was the one that stole from their own.
Kaito’s face darkened. “If he was here, he didn’t just take extra rations. He could’ve stolen points from the pool or tampered with the remaining stockpile itself.”
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Riku’s eyes narrowed, the crimson glow intensifying. “Then it is settled. We cannot allow this meddler to go unpunished.” She turned to the group, her staff raised high. “Gather your strength, my loyal companions. Today, we hunt the thief and reclaim what is rightfully ours!”
The group exchanged uneasy glances, their confidence wavering. One of the younger members muttered, “But… What if he’s dangerous? I heard he has traps on his side of the corridor, and if we’re wrong, he could tear our house into a civil war.”
Riku spun, her cape, well, her repurposed blanket, billowing behind her. “Danger is but a shadow, fleeting before the light of our resolve!” She pointed her staff dramatically toward the door. “Will you cower in fear, or will you stand and fight for the honour of the Order of Dreams”
The room was silent for a moment, then Kaito sighed, stepping forward. “Fine. Let’s go. But if this backfires, it’s on you, Riku.”
Riku smirked, lowering her staff. “Excellent. Prepare yourselves, for we march at dawn!” She paused, glancing at the red sky outside. “Or rather… now.”
The club began gathering their makeshift weapons and supplies, their hesitation slowly replaced with nervous determination. As they filed out of the storeroom, Riku’s voice rang through the air. “Alchemist, we will bring justice!”
Riku’s group marched through the corridor, “Be vigilant,” she commanded, her voice low with a hint for the dramatic.
As they rounded a corner, a faint hissing noise filled the air. Before anyone could react, a plume of smoke erupted from a small device on the floor. The hallway filled with thick, choking fog, and the group stumbled, coughing and waving their hands to clear the air.
“A trap!” Riku declared, slamming her staff against the wall. “He thinks he can ensnare us with his sorcery!”
“It’s just smoke,” Kaito muttered, but his voice was drowned out by another hiss. This time, jets of foam shot from hidden dispensers along the walls, coating the group in sticky white suds.
“This is getting ridiculous,” Emi groaned, trying to peel foam off her face. “Does he think we’re some kind of joke?”
Riku waved her staff clean with an exaggerated air of exaggerated. “Fear not, comrades. This is but a coward’s ploy. He underestimates my resolve”
The group emerged from the foam-soaked corridor, coughing and peeling the sticky residue from their clothes as they stood before The Alchemist’s lair, “He’s been in his lair since you’ve taken command Lady Riku” Emi grip tighten on her club, “We need to be carefull, some believe he should lead us instead of you”
“What if they’re right?” The thought crept in Riku's mind. She clenched her staff tighter, with a thud Riku boots open the door, the scene before them was a chaotic blend of squalor and excess. Crates of rations and the stolen supplies were stacked haphazardly against the walls, some spilling open to reveal their contents. Empty bottles littered the floor, and the air was thick with the sour tang of alcohol.
In the centre of the mess sat The Alchemist, his stocky frame slumped against a makeshift throne of overturned crates. His usually pale face was flushed, and his witch doctor’s outfit hung askew, a clear sign of a long night of debauchery. Around him, a few of his followers, equally dishevelled, lay sprawled on the floor, groaning and clutching their heads.
“Who dares disturb my domain?” The Alchemist grumbled, his voice hoarse as he rubbed his temples. He squinted through the foggy corridor, barely registering Riku and her group. “Oh. It’s you. What do you want?”
Before Riku could launch into her usual theatrics, another voice cut through the haze. “Oh, Alchie, are we out of pancakes already, can one of your boys fetch some flour?”
Akira strolled into view, flanked by a few of her girls of equal stunning. Her uniform sweater was slightly undone, revealing a glimpse of her natural assets, with her blond hair with pink highlights catching the dim light perfectly. She carried herself with a lazy confidence, her soft smile directed at The Alchemist as she leaned over his chair, stretching past him for a water bottle.
“You’re not holding out on us, are you?” she teased, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. Her companions giggled, their voices like melodious chimes as they draped themselves around the dishevelled boys.
“Succubi,” Riku whispered, her voice trembling with both awe and fury.
Akira’s lips moved, though Riku couldn’t hear the words clearly. In her mind, it wasn’t a conversation but a whispering chant, dripping with venomous charm. Her companions circled like shadowy wraiths, their fingers brushing the stolen rations and bottles as if claiming them as trophies of conquest.
“Beware, my loyal knights!” Riku cried, spinning to face her group. “The demons have ensnared the Alchemist with their wiles. We must free him from their spell!”
“What?” Kaito asked, looking genuinely confused. But Riku didn’t wait for an answer. She charged forward, her staff raised high.
“Order of Dreams, attack!”
Kaito, Emi with the others hesitated for a moment, but Riku’s fervour was infectious. With a mix of war cries and awkward enthusiasm, they followed her lead, storming into the lair.
The Alchemist’s face twisted in horror as the foam-covered group descended on him. “Wait, no! What are you…”
Emi swung her club wildly, knocking over a stack of empty bottles. Kaito slipped on foam covered floor, barely catching himself before colliding with an Alchemist follower.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Akira yelled, backing away as one of Riku’s followers swung a makeshift sword in her direction.
The first swing of Riku’s staff sent one of the crates of stolen supplies toppling over, scattering bottles and ration bars across the floor. Akira’s group, startled by the sudden commotion, let out shrieks of indignation.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Akira yelled, backing away as one of Riku’s followers swung a makeshift club in her direction. “These losers are not worth this!” she shouted to her girls, their flirtatious act dropping instantly as they scattered, leaving The Alchemist and his groaning followers to face the chaos alone.
Riku’s group surrounded The Alchemist, their movements clumsy but triumphant. One of the boys tried to fight back, but a well-placed jab from Kaito’s broomstick sent him sprawling. The Alchemist, still too hungover to defend himself, threw up his hands in surrender.
“All right, all right! Keep away from my next batch! You win!” he groaned. “Just… stop wrecking my stuff!”
Riku planted her staff in the ground, her crimson gaze burning as she declared, “The darkness has been vanquished. Now, Alchemist, you will answer for your crimes!”
The Alchemist sighed, rubbing his face. “Look, we just wanted to throw a party, okay? It’s not like I planned to screw everyone over. I just… got carried away.”
Kaito stepped forward, glaring. “And what about the food you stole? How many points did you waste on this stupid party?”
Alchemist leaned forward, scanning the mess and destruction, “I didn’t steal it; I borrowed it… for science!”
Emi pointed her weapon at him, staring at him with draggers in her eyes “We will starve before this nightmare ends”
The Alchemist winced. “Yeah… about that. Most of it is gone. Between the ingredients, material, the make-up the girls wanted and the snacks…” He trailed off, gesturing vaguely at the mess around him.
Riku’s dramatic pose faltered slightly, the weight of the situation sinking in. She exchanged a glance with her group, their earlier enthusiasm dimming as the reality of their dwindling resources became clear.
“We can’t survive like this,” Emi muttered, her voice heavy with resignation. “If we don’t do something soon…”
Alchemist face plastered “What’s a little ruckus when we’ve got nothing else to do but die, anyway?”
The room fell silent as all eyes turned to Riku. She tightened her grip on her staff, her usual bravado wavering. “Then we will do what must be done,” she said quietly. “We will risk entering the puppeteer games… and we will win.”