Key of Souls: Twisted Wonderland

Chapter 57: A Smack-Down Shakedown

3rd POV

The group turned around to see who was talking to them. To their surprise, it was none other than Jack Howl who was leaning on one of the trees and he just started walking towards them. "You're Jack Howl, right?", Dawn asked. He just gave her a small glace as he heard her question. Ace narrowed his eyes at the wolf-eared teen and felt annoyed when he realized that Jack saw the whole wild goose chase and did nothing to help them. "Huh! You should've helped instead of just watching. Your dorm is full of bastards like him.", he said.

"Why are you working so hard for other people's sake?", asked Jack, crossing his arms.

"Other's people's?", said Deuce.

"I understand wanting to get back at the culprit for the people who got hurt, but...", Jack began to say.

"Huh? What're you talking about?", Ace cut off his sentence.

"Eh?", went Jack.

"Who said anything about doing this for other people's sake?", Ace said with a smug grin.

"We just want to score points by catching the culprit.", Deuce said.

"Yeah, yeah. Then get picked for the Magical Shift Tournament. And show off for the whole world.", Ace said.

"I'm gonna catch that guy, then be on the big screen.!", Grim exclaimed.

"I feel bad for Trey, but I'm gonna take his spot.", Ace stated. All Dawn could do was sigh and shake her head in disbelief at her friends' reasons for catching the culprit. Then again, the students in this school were pretty much in it for themselves as she should have known. "You guys seriously have no honour at all, do you?...", Dawn sighed in disappointment.

Jack gave his fellow first-years a stare before giving a humourless smirk. "Hmph! I can't trust guys who just do things for others but... You guys are worse than I thought.", he said.

Hearing that sentence alone made something snap inside Dawn as she suddenly found herself right in front of the wolf boy's face with a hardened expression; Jack was taken aback by how close she was and how angry she looked. "Don't you dare lump me with those selfish morons!", Dawn exclaimed. Hearing her say that in a furious tone made Ace, Deuce, and Grim cringe with fear as they remembered how scary Dawn can be when she gets mad; Ace remembered clearly how she was back when he first met her and Grim on Main Street.

"What's your problem?", asked Jack, trying to keep his cool despite her intense aura.

"Those guys might be doing this just to enter the tournament, but I have two reasons why I'm doing this.", Dawn proclaimed as she stated her reasons. "One: I was simply requested by our "gracious" headmaster to look for who is responsible for the accidents caused to the victims. Entering the tournament was the only goal for that little monster." She pointed at Grim who felt nervous being called out like that, then she continued. "Two: I just don't want to see anyone else get hurt. It frustrates me to see people suffering due to other people's selfishness and nobody does anything to stop it! It's just like... Just like..." Dawn stopped as she started remembering what happened to her in middle school.

"No... Please!... Please don't do this to her!! Stop!!!", Dawn pleaded with tears in her eyes as she was being held back by a teen boy who made her watch what was happening right in front of her. Another boy had a girl who kept her down on her knees and she struggled to escape while a teen was standing above her. Another girl was standing in a corner while looking at this with fear.

The girl, who was the leader of the group, brought out an electric razor. She looked at Dawn with a sinister expression and said, "Here's what happens to those who choose to be friends with you." Like this, she turned toward her captive on the ground and proceeded to use the electric razor to shave her head. "AAAAAAAGGGGHHH!!!", The captive girl screamed with terror and pain as she felt the razor cutting her hair and scalp. She and the two boys were laughing like sadists at taking pure pleasure in this, while the girl in the corner just looked away with shame and regret.