Twisted Wonderland Book 1: The Rose-Red Tyrant

Chapter 26: Feelings Reconciled

In the darkness Trey's voice cries out, "Riiiiiddle!"

Riddle quickly opens his eyes in shock, "Gah!" and sits up.

"He's back!" Ace says.

"Well, it's about time... We were just about losin' our heads here - figure of speech, sorry - 'cause we thought you might never wake up!" Cater says, relieved.

Riddle gasps for air as he asks, "What in the world happened...?"

"Ah, Mr. Rosehearts appears to have regained consciousness. Excellent," Crowley says, relieved.

"Don't worry, Riddle. Just try to rest," Trey says.

Soon, Riddle gasps and realizes, "Wait, Briar! Where's Briar?! Where is she?!"

"She's over here," Grim's voice answers.

Riddle quickly turns his head to see Briar lying down next to her and still unconscious. Sereia, Jasper, Tanzanite, and Trinker are beside her in concern. He also looks down to notice that his hand is in hers.

Riddle frantically shakes her, "Briar! Briar wake up! Briar! Briar!"

Suddenly, Briar lets out a groan as he turns her head from side to side. She soon opens her eyes and looks to see her friends, Riddle, and the others.

Briar slowly asks, "Is everyone okay? What happened?"

"Briar, you're awake," Tanzanite says.

"You had us worried for a minute there," Jasper says.

"Briar!" Sereia cries out and soon hugs her around her waist.

"Sereia," Briar says.

Trinket twinkles and snuggles her small cheek against Bria's cheek.

Suddenly Ace says, "Yo, that's just the sort of coddling that led to him going nuts in the first place! Now the garden is tore up from the floor up, not to mention that we could've died!"

"He's right. It was looking bad for a while there," Deuce says.

Then Grim says, "For cryin' out loud. When you humans let that stress build up, the results sure ain't pretty."

"Come on guys, don't be too hard on him," Briar says.

Suddenly, Riddle says, "The truth is, I... I really wanted to eat the chestnut tart."

"Huh?" Ace says, looking confused.

Then Riddle says, "And I don't care if the roses are white, or the flamingos are pink. And I prefer honey to sugar cubes in my tea, and I like milk tea better than lemon tea anyhow. And after a meal, I want to be the one sitting around talking with everyone..."

"Riddle...?" Trey replies, a little surprised.

And soon, all the bottled up emotions begin to slowly pour out of Riddle as he says, "And I really wanted to play with you and Che'nya more, Trey," He sniffles a bit, and soon, Riddle begins to cry, "WAAAAAAAH!"

Everyone is caught by surprise to see Riddle shedding tears.

"Riddle Rosehearts, in tears... Hashtag #WOW," Cater says, surprised.

"You think a few crocodile tears is all it'll take for me to forgive you?" Ace says, still not very forgiving.

"Give the guy a break, Ace," Deuce says to Ace.

Briar turns to Ace and says, "Actually he's really crying, for real. This... this is what Riddle has been feeling this whole time. Maybe even his whole life."

Just then, Trey walks to Riddle and kneels down towards him.

He then says in remorse, "I'm sorry, Riddle. I knew you were suffering, and all I did was pretend not to notice."

Riddle continues sobbing as he listens to Trey's apologies.

Then Trey sternly says, "So I'm gonna say what I should have said earlier. Your way of doing things was wrong, and you owe everyone an apology."

Riddle sniffles a bit and says in tears, "... I'm sorry... I'm really sorry."

He then turns to Briar in tears and says, "Briar, what I said to you, what I did to you and your friends is unforgivable. I said terrible things to you, without realizing what you've gone through... putting you and the others through all this.... And not listening to you when you notice the danger I was in, and almost killing you and your friends. I can't believe I've gone to such extreme lengths without thinking of what I've been doing to everyone, what the danger I was putting myself through."

"It's okay Riddle. I kind of have a hunch you weren't exactly being yourself. And well, sorry I slapped you in the face and got super mad at you and shouting at you. That was kind of uncalled for," Briar says.

She then calmly smiles, "But I do also like to forgive you and uh, hope we can be friends."

Riddle in tears slowly nods his head in reply. Then, both Briar and Riddle stand up, Sereia lets go of Briar so she can stand up, and she stands on her own feet.

Just then, Ace walks to them and says, "I know I've been saying I wanted an apology from Riddle, but now that I got one, y'know what?"

He then angrily shouts, "One stupid 'I'm sorry' doesn't even come close to making up for what he did!"

This leaves everyone in shock.

Cater shouts at him, "DUDE! Way to be a capital-J Jerk!"

"And proud of it! Have you forgotten how he made a total fool outta me?! Have you forgotten how he just threw away that chestnut tart we worked so hard on?! That ain't something you can make go away with a few tears and a flimsy 'I'm sorry'!" Ace says, still unforgiving.

"You're still mad about that?!" Briar asks, shocked and not pleased.

Grim says with a frown, "Wow. I ain't never met anyone who was better at holdin' grudges than I am."

"Ace, I know what Riddle did was bad, but he's very sorry for what happened. Even Briar is willing to forgive him," Tanzanite says.

"Tanzanite is right, Briar didn't have to forgive him, but she's willing to. She knows how sorry he is," Jasper says, crossing his arms.

"Yeah. Don't be mean," Sereia says.

Then Briar sternly says, "Can't you try to be a little nicer about it?"

Still sniffling, Riddle asks, "Then... Then what do you want me to do?!"

Just then, Ace says, "You know... I don't got a birthday coming up anytime soon."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Deuce asks.

Ace turns to Riddle and says, "So I demand a do-over for the unbirthday party! Except this time, we ain't gotta do squat. This time, YOU'RE the one who brings the tart! And no getting Trey to make it for you! Do that, and then things are square between us."

"Except you had lots of help making YOUR tarts...?" Briar says with her arms crossed.

"Yeah Ace, just admit you want a tart," Jasper replies.

"Quiet from the peanut gallery!" Ace angrily says to the others.

Then asks Riddle, "What do you say, Riddle? We clear?"

"Yes... We're clear," Riddle answers.

Crowley smiles and says, "Ah, yes. Compromise is a beautiful thing. I believe that concludes this matter."

Briar calmly nods her head and actually agrees with him on it, and it looks like things are able to end peacefully.