Ocean Mist (Azul Ashengrotto/Yuu)

18 ~ Unexpected

"...What?"

"Azul has overblotted! I managed to flee from the Mostro Lounge, but some of the others weren't so lucky!"

Yuu bolted up from her position on set and dashed for the Mirror Chamber, ignoring the yells coming from behind her from the other students in her club.

'He overblotted?'

The news completely blindsided her. How could she have missed the signs? Even as she wracked her brain, she couldn't come up with any indicators that he'd been stressed. Sure, she hadn't been around him much, but when they did see each other, he was always his usual self.

'Or is the usual Azul I've gotten so used to the Azul that's being haunted by blot..?'

She didn't even want to think of the possibility, yet she knew the horrors that would face her when she got to Octavinelle. She forced herself to enter the mirror and dashed through the hallways to where the lounge was. There was an eeriness that hung throughout the halls, a thickness in the atmosphere that made her want to run, but she had to stay strong for Azul.

"Let's make a deal, you and me!"

Yuu froze up at hearing the warped voice, feeling herself tense even more at the large, tentacled blot monster floating behind her boyfriend. His skin had taken on a purple-grey hue, his eyes were glowing, and his legs... were no longer legs. This was the closest she'd ever gotten to seeing his merman form.

And Yuu thought he looked beautiful.

'Yuu, now is not the time for that! What is wrong with you!? He could die, and this is what you're thinking about!? Get a grip!'

Azul's eyes narrowed at her, being the first one to spot her, and everyone else turned to her as well to see what could've captured Azul's attention.

"Ah, my beloved!" His charming smile sent chills down Yuu's spine. "Look at all of them, bullying me! But you'll take my side, won't you!?"

His tentacles began stretching out towards Yuu, and she involuntarily took a step back. "W-What happened!?" she called out to the others: Jade, Floyd, Ruggie, Leona, and a few others (probably freshmen) that she didn't quite recognize.

"He overblotted!" Ruggie hollered back.

"Evidently! I meant why!"

"Less talking, more fighting!" Leona shouted, a loud growl escaping him as he sent a spell with his scepter at Azul. Yuu found herself cornered against the wall and she pulled out her magic pen, hands shaking as a tentacle coiled around her ankle.

The tentacle quickly wrapped around her body, dragging her to Azul faster than she could even process what was happening. Her pen clattered out of her hand and the tip of his tentacle covered her mouth, preventing her from speaking.

"You're the only one who's stayed by my side this whole time," he drawled, letting out a maniacal laugh as she squirmed, trying to free herself. "Oh, are you trying to get away from me now? Have you finally found me to be the octo-twerp I am?" His tentacle tightened around her face, covering her nose as well and stopping her from being able to breathe. "Well, it's too late for any of that, now!"

She hated being so helpless, especially when she knew that Azul was struggling. Yet she couldn't help but give into the numbness rolling over her body as she lost her consciousness, not being able to tell if the childlike sobbing noises she heard right before she fully passed out were real or fake.

When she came to, the first thing she did was look around rapidly trying to find Azul. Jade put a hand on her shoulder. "Easy, now. Are you feeling alright?"

"Where's Azul?" Nothing could hide the panic in her voice.

Jade's eyes flitted up past Yuu, and she turned to where he was looking to find Azul's limp body on the floor. She quickly rose, tripping over feet before running over to him, letting out a sigh of relief as she found his pulse.

Azul's eyes fluttered open ever so slightly. "Ngh..." He propped himself up on his elbow for a few seconds before losing consciousness again, Yuu just barely catching his head before it slammed back to the ground. She laid him carefully on her thigh, stroking his hair as they all waited for him to regain consciousness.

"...What happened?" Yuu finally asked after the silence prolonged for too long.

Leona was the first to answer. "I turned all of his contracts into dust."

"You what?"

So they explained the whole situation to her, how everything built up to this, starting from the Headmage's request to stop Azul's contracting business. Yuu felt a sense of relief in knowing that she wasn't the reason for her stress, though it didn't help subside the horrible feeling within her that stemmed from knowing her boyfriend was suffering so much and that she didn't notice at all.

Azul's eyes fluttered open once again and he seemed to be more conscious this time around. Jade knelt down next to him and Yuu. "Azul, how many fingers am I holding up?"

"Er... Eight?"

"Still in shock, it seems." Jade pulled back, allowing a tiny smile to form on his face. "But your blot-induced rampage has subsided at last."

Leona let out a groan, raising a hand to his head. "That little tantrum of yours really put us through the wringer, y'know." They all turned to look at him incredulously, and Ruggie whispered, "Uh, Leona, I'm not sure you get to say that."

"What did I... do?" Azul stammered, still very obviously in confusion. Yuu helped him sit up, though she kept an arm around his back to support him. Jade put a hand on his shoulder as he answered, "You overused your magic and overblotted. You don't remember it?"

He shook his head dazedly, and Floyd added, "You were sucking everybody's magic dry left and right, bawlin', 'Give me your powerrr!' It was the cringiest thing I've ever seen. I'm still not over it."

"Oh, no... Me, going berserk?" he spoke in disbelief. Yuu nodded and brushed some debris off of his shoulder. "We should get you to the infirmary."

Azul stared around the lounge in disbelief. "The expenses I'll have to pay to fix all of this..." he murmured, causing Yuu to squeeze his cheeks in her hand. "Azul, you almost died! You shouldn't be worrying about that right now!"

"But-"

"-No buts. We're going to the infirmary now, whether you like it or not."