Chapter Text
Leona - Fallen Prince 1/?
“We’re cutting you off,” Falena said, ripping off Leona’s blanket. It was a cool day, and too early for finance talk. This was not the first time he had been threatened with such nonsense, but still.
“Could you not do that so early in the morning?” Leona grumbled.
“It’s three in the afternoon. Get up and do your duties before we kick you out. For real this time.”
Leona rolled his eyes. He abhorred work as much as he despised his brother. Lately he’d been trying to hawk even more work onto Leona, but it mostly collected dust in an office he barely used. What was the point of working on royal duties if he wasn’t even going to be king? Cheka was 15 now, and getting better at locating him by the day. One would think he’d grow out of that at his age.
“The queen would also like a word with you.”
He groaned quietly so that Falena wouldn’t hear. His sister in law, Kioo, was the only person he respected in his family, if only because she could kick Falena’s ass any day of the week. And his.
Leona waited until Falena left before relaxing his scowl and getting out of bed. He yawned and got ready, mentally preparing for the likely-earned tongue lashing he was about to receive. The sooner he did that, the sooner he could go back to bed.
“Absolutely not,” Leona said, frowning at Kioo as she ended sparring with another lioness he didn’t care to learn the name of. She shooed her away and continued their conversation.
Kioo smiled, then laughed with her lips closed. “I’m afraid you have no choice. Falena and I—”
“It’s always Falena.”
“Mostly Falena,” she corrected, “has decided to cut you off if you don’t go.”
Leona growled. “He what? That’s crossing the line!”
Kioo crossed her arms. “Listen, I fought for you, but you’re not giving me much to work with. You’re 31 now. You have long since graduated with nothing to show for it. We tried therapy, we tried giving you a job, but nothing has worked. Falena decreed that it’s either this or a one-way ticket to train in the Guard.”
“Those sorry bachelors? Hell no!”
“Then follow your brother’s decree and go to that event. Or so help me,” she socked the punching bag and sent it flying, “you’ll never see another thaumark from us again.”
Leona sucked in a breath as he stood outside the main gates of Night Raven College. Being a prince, he was fortunate to have direct transportation to Sage’s Island, and therefore he arrived way too early. The gates, grand and open at high noon, gave him no motivation to enter. He eyed his trunk, filled to the brim by Kioo herself and without his input, and summoned some wind magic to have it float behind him. He had no idea what was in there, only that she micro-managed his packing.
“Master Leona,” the timid servant said.
Leona glowered down at him. “What?”
“Shouldn’t I carry your things?”
“No. Go wait at the hotel or something.”
“But the Queen said—”
Leona thrust his hand at him, King’s Roar at the ready. “I don’t care what she said to you.”
He shrieked. “But she—”
“I know what she wants me to do, so trust that I’ll do it.”
He nodded and scurried away.
“Finally some peace and quiet.”
He turned towards town, and a familiar mop of dirty blond caught his eye.
“Syeeheehee,” he snickered. “I saw that. Hoo boy, you haven’t changed one bit!”
“Ruggie.” Leona put a hand on his hip, somewhat glad to see a familiar face.
“Are you here for the reunion, too?”
Leona made sure the trunk was behind him before answering. “No.”
“Whatever you say, buddy.” He swung an arm around the prince’s shoulder. “Why are you here so early?”
Leona couldn't find the energy to brush him off. “I could ask you the same thing.”
“Got here two days ago to work the event.”
Leona scoffed. Of course he did. He saw no reason to hide his wealth from Ruggie, so he answered honestly. “Direct transportation, courtesy of my brother.”
“Oof. How are they, by the way?”
“Insufferable. They threatened to send me to the Guard if I didn’t come to this stupid masquerade class reunion thing.”
Ruggie scrunched his face. “That sorry bunch of bachelors?”
“I’m glad you agree!”
The two shared a laugh, something Leona never thought he’d miss. He would have thought he'd look back and consider Ruggie a nostalgic sight.
“Anyway, what’s there to do around here nowadays?”
“I was actually on my way to visit Sam. For old times sake.”
Leona sighed. Campus was the last place he wanted to be, but at least Sam was the most tolerable to be around. Especially with Ruggie in the vicinity.
Jamil - Free As A… Cat? 1/?
“If it’s all the same to you,” Jamil told Kalim at the aristocrat’s favorite cafe, “I just want out.”
“It’s just one more party!” Kalim begged. “I promise I’ll pay you double your final paycheck if you come! Please? Please please please please please—”
“Kalim—”
“Please please please please please—”
“Kalim!”
“Please please please please please please please please—”
“Okay, fine! Damn.”
Kalim shook him by his shoulders. “Yay! You won’t regret it, I promise!”
Jamil regretted everything. The costumes, the multiple flights, and especially the destination. Night Raven College? Seriously? And for a class reunion that kicked off with a masquerade? He already said his goodbyes years ago, damn it, and he never looked back! 10 years was far too soon to see anyone from back then again. His public image post-overblot was fragile and caused way too much anxiety trying to maintain it. He’d much rather forget the shame and humiliation from back then. Maybe a masquerade wasn’t a bad idea after all? No , he shook his head, it’s not going to go well at all.
Kalim seemed pretty proud of himself for keeping the event a secret for so long. It wasn’t like Jamil bothered to ask anyway. He was just doing this one last time, and then leaving the Scalding Sands forever with whatever Kalim thought was double Jamil’s pay. “Let him think what he wants,” Jamil muttered as they walked onto campus.
“Shall we?” Kalim asked, his signature smile plastered on his face.
Jamil took a deep breath. “If we must.”
Kalim chose a costume fit for a sultan, complete with a foam belly to show off what was considered “wealthy” back in olden times. His winged mask was adorned with shiny red and blue feathers, covering every square inch save for slits on his eyes. His clothes were white with gold trim, topped with a fanciful turban and tied together with a gold belt that hung behind him. Jamil shook his head at the fact that he was also barefoot. Kalim was going to give him a heart attack one of these days.
As for Jamil… Someone, possibly a white-haired childhood friend, suggested he dress up as a princess. Specifically Princess Jasmine of legend. He didn’t even get a proper mask, only a veil. At least his face was covered up. He insisted on doing his own makeup, just so he could make sure no one would recognize him by just his eyes. Although, being at Kalim’s side would probably give him away. He would most likely have to ditch Kalim if things got too crowded.
So that’s exactly what he did. Right away, Scarabia alumni swarmed Kalim and he held a conversation with every one of them. Without a single look in Kalim’s direction, he slipped into the hallway.
Jamil found a lonely room that was essentially a linen closet, but since Night Raven College was so big, the place where they stored fabric of any kind for every occasion was stored there. They defeinitely needed a space fit for the sheer amount of fucking tablecloths they owned. Every little event needed a different shade, look, and aesthetic. Whoever ran them must have had an exhausting job.
At least it was quiet.
He sat down on the nearest pile against the wall. It sunk under his weight slightly.
“Get the hell off me.”
Jamil started, jolting to his feet. That sounded like… But that made no sense. Jamil was alone. He turned around over and over, and saw no one.
“Well, this is convenient.” As he said that, a cat emerged from behind the pile Jamil was just sitting on.
“Leona?” Jamil whispered.
The cat used one paw to flick his ear. “I’ll cut to the chase here. I was cursed by something stupid from Sam’s shop, I ran into Lilia, who told me I needed a princess to cure me just like a stupid fairy tale, and I got lost trying to find the mirror to take me to one. You look like a princess, so I’m assuming you are one?”
Jamil’s jaw dropped, shocked that the cat had Leona’s voice. “I–”
“Great.” He hopped on top of the pile of fabric, then into Jamil’s arms. “Just a peck, that’s all. I’ll pay you, if that’s what you’re after.”
Jamil hesitated, holding himself back from petting Leona’s fur. On one hand, getting paid an additional amount does make the whole event worth it. If all Leona needed was a kiss from a princess, he was barking up the wrong tree. Or in this case, meowing up the wrong tree. It might be fun to mess with him a little bit when the whole thing blows up in Leona’s face and he stays a cat. Served his lazy ass right. Maybe being cursed would be good for him. Leona is so impatient that he found the first person who looked vaguely princess-like to smooch. There was nothing for Jamil to lose here. If Leona turns back, he’ll get paid. If he doesn’t, then he will be rewarded for returning the prince.
Leona closed his cat eyes and leaned up.
Jamil pulled down his veil and pecked Leona’s whiskered mouth.
And just like that, the world went black.
Ruggie - Everyday I’m Hustlin’ 1/?
–Earlier that day…–
“Why did he have to go down this dark alley?” Ruggie mumbled to himself. “He has no self awareness. Ain’t nothin’ but snake oil salesmen in these parts! 31 and no life experience.” Ruggie hasn’t been to town since returning for the reunion, and since Sam’s store on campus was under new management, they had no choice but to find entertainment elsewhere.
Ruggie only looked away for 30 seconds before Leona was out of sight.
“Care for a potion, young man?” a middle aged man with froglike eyes asked as Ruggie passed his table.
“Nope.” He finally spotted Leona at the end of the alley, following a man in dark purple into a shop labeled “Mr. S’s Mystery Shop II.” Something about his gait felt off, though. Sam usually walked with a pep in his step. This guy had his hand firmly on his hip and his head forward with a purpose.
Ruggie finally caught up just as Leona got to the shop’s door. He was about to pull the handle when Ruggie activated his unique magic.
“ Laugh With Me !” he cried, forcing Leona to stop dead in his tracks.
Leona growled. “Ruggie!”
“That’s not Sam!”
Leona frowned deeper. “I know that. It’s Azul.”
It was Ruggie’s turn to frown. “Huh?”
Not-Sam shrugged. “Cat’s out of the bag, I guess. I really thought I had you fooled. I guess that’s a beastman for you.” He waved a hand over his face and brought it downward, the image of Sam rippling away and revealing his true look. He looked virtually the same, wearing a simple yet sorta dignified gangster suit. “He was being followed, most likely because of that large trunk he’s carrying, and I simply rescued him from a potentially dangerous situation.”
“A situation created by you, maybe. C’mon, Leona. Sam’s probably not even here.”
Leona sneered. “Yeah, you’re right. This stuff’s probably not that legit, anyway.”
Suddenly, the door burst open, startling Ruggie into releasing his spell. Sam came out with a smug sneer of his own. “Don’t you disrespect me, little lion man! Derogation and degradation are not allowed in my store, especially when you’re talking about my business partner. I’ll be right in, Azul. Now, what can I do for you gentlemen?” Azul nodded respectfully and went inside. Ruggie couldn’t help but notice a smirk as he shut the door.
“We’re just looking for a place to kill time,” Leona said nonchalantly.
“We were looking for you, actually,” Ruggie quickly added. He regretted offering the idea to Leona in the first place, but it was too late to leave now. “How goes the shop? I noticed you’re not on campus anymore. What happened?”
Sam shrugged. “A little this, a little that, long story short, I found a better location in town.” He pulled out a deck of tarot cards from nowhere. “How ‘bout a reading, friends?”
Ruggie immediately knew he was trying to lure them inside. He shoved down his doubt and answered. “Only if Leona’s interested.” He elbowed the prince.
“Sure, we got time. Right, Ruggie?” Leona’s face was unreadable.
He checked his phone for the time. “Fine. We have a few hours.” Ruggie had to be there early, but not for a while. Sam was a familiar face, but something still nagged him at the back of his mind.
“Excellent.”
Sam - It’s A Living 1/1
Alumni were always suckers for nostalgia. Especially the ones that were gullible by nature. Of course, Sam would never maliciously sell someone something they would regret later. That would be bad for business. He needs repeat visitors. Repeat visitors are happy visitors. Desperate people crave happiness, and he could immediately tell Leona was desperate for something. Letting Azul be his business partner was the best decision he’d made in years.
“Just a quick reading, that’s all,” Sam said, leading the former NRC students to his side room with a sign above the doorway labeled, “Reading Room.”
Ruggie scanned the place. “How much?”
Sam backpedaled. “Two for the price of one special today. 30 thaumarks.” That was more than the price for two, but he knew Ruggie was an expert haggler.
“30?!” The hyena snickered. “For this shoddy joint, I’d pay 5.”
That hurt Sam’s pride, but this is nothing new for the two of them. “Alright, alright, fine. How about 25?”
“10.”
“18, square?”
Ruggie narrowed his eyes and nodded. “Square.” They shook hands.
“Can we hurry this up?” Leona asked.
“Of course!” Sam said, sitting down in his elaborate chair. He gestured for the two to sit, and they do. Eagerly. Good. “Pick 3, any 3.”
The boys took 3 each and visibly tried to interpret them.
Sam shuffled and put the rest of the deck down. “Leona, since you’re royalty, how about you first?”
Leona handed him the cards and after a glance, he leaned back, already bored. Sam had to hype this up somehow.
Sam looked at the cards and grinned. “2 lions, one strong, one thin. Represents the jealousy one feels in their heart. The Crown. Leadership and power. And,” he feigned concern, “The Cat. Expect the unexpected.”
“What does it mean?” Leona asked.
“You want control over your life, but you can never count on what’s in front of you to give you what you want.”
Leona frowned again. “That’s it?”
“You can also interpret this as the possibility of being mauled by lions, becoming king, or getting a pet cat.”
“That seems more likely.”
Sam scoffed. One thing he hated was being disrespected on his own turf. “Don’t say something you might regret later.”
Leona, unfazed, leaned back in his chair again and stared at the ceiling.
“What about me?” Ruggie asked excitedly, pointing to his face.
Sam took his cards. “The Vulture. A scavenger. 8 Crying Children. The weight of responsibility. And,” he sing-songed, “2 Princes. Entwining fate, usually with someone important.”
Ruggie frowned, too. “So I’m gonna be a scavenger with crushing responsibility while being Leona’s underling all my life?”
Sam clutched at his necklace. “Mon dieu! Is that what you think of yourself? No, I see something different. Scavengers are not always looters or thieves. They are smart, resourceful, and take care of things people don’t look twice at. Children crying can mean the young ones you took care of, but who says crushing responsibility is a bad thing? You’ve been taking care of people all your life, and you’re very mature and admirable by doing so. Perhaps one of them will return the favor. Or all of them. Who knows? As far as the Princes, you may see it as being an underling, but look at the art: Two princes. They are the same. Equal, you can say. One day you might find yourself literally or figuratively the same as the upper crust.”
He sat back in his chair; that seemed to pacify him. Ruggie was sharp, and Sam always had fun keeping on his toes around the hyena.
“Either that, or it’s exactly as you say. It’s all up to interpretation.”
“I like that first one better,” Ruggie muttered.
“How about it, boys?” Sam asked. “Has your curiosity been satiated?”
“I think so. Leo–”
“I’ve had my fill,” Leona said, standing up. “I wanna explore the store for a bit.”
Before Sam or Ruggie could react, Leona power-walked out of the Reading Room.
“Thanks, Sam.” Ruggie pulled out some cash and placed it on the table before following the prince.
Thunk! CRASH!
Ruggie took off. “Leona!”
Sam’s blood ran cold. It sounded like something very heavy crashed to the ground. He leapt to his feet. “Don’t touch anything else!” He tore past the curtain. “There’s voodoo and hoodoo and things I haven’t even tried yet!” He ran out to discover Leona’s trunk had fallen open, spilling its contents everywhere. A set of clothes were on the ground, separate from the trunk, and a cat-shaped pendant lay right on top, glowing red and grinning wickedly. Laughing at him. Its "Do Not Touch, Display Only" sign was inconspicuously missing.
“Oh dear,” Sam said to himself.
“Leona!” Ruggie called out. “Dammit, where’d you go?”
Sam’s worst nightmare was coming to fruition. One of his customers touched something they shouldn’t have, and had gotten cursed. Curiosity killed the cat, and all that.
“Azul!” Sam called.
He materialized out of the storage room. “Yes?”
“Find him.”
Azul nodded and pulled out his phone.
“Sam!” Ruggie said, worry written all over his face. “Do you know what happened to him?”
Sam groaned. “Yes. But,” he paused to pick up the cat pendant. “I have a plan on how to fix this.” He turned to Ruggie. “Take his place by wearing this.”
“W-what?!” he stepped back.
“Leona has been expected at the reunion, right?”
“How did you know that?”
“And you know what will happen if he doesn’t go?”
“Well, yeah, but–”
“So we can’t let this get out. I’ll lose my business, Leona will lose his inheritance, and you will probably go to prison for taking him here.”
“But I didn’t even do anything!”
“The press won’t care. His family won’t care. All they will see is a scheming hyena desperate for money kidnapping the prince of the Sunset Savannah.” He shoved the pendant in Ruggie’s face. “Take this. Wear it. As long as it’s red, you’ll succeed.”
Ruggie gritted his teeth, pale. “What does it do?”
“It samples one’s blood so that you can borrow their magic. A malicious thing that I could have warned you about if the little lion prince wasn’t so impatient. It’s only temporary, so hurry up. You can use illusion magic, right?”
“Of course.”
“Use it. We will lend you a gemstone if you like.”
Ruggie reached into his pocket but didn’t take anything out. “I can use magic safely.”
“Good. Take the pendant, disguise yourself, and pretend to be Leona until we find him.”
“What will you do?”
“We’re going to clean up your mess.”
“‘We?’”
Sam smirked. “Me and my friends from the other side.”