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"A rage room?" Ace raised a brow, having been zoning out the entire conversation. Deuce had been the one to ask the question, tilting his head to the side.
"Yeah. It's like- It's a place where you can literally destroy anything inside. It's really cathartic." Yuu nodded "I remember going once with a classmate. We wrecked an entire room. It was fun. Relaxing." was added.
"How can destroying things be relaxing?" Jack asked, his ears twitching with curiosity.
"I suppose some people would find it cathartic to destroy property without consequences!" Sebek hummed a bit too loud, but that was usual "Though I worry that such activities would cause... anger issues." he added.
"Well, it helps people, doesn't it?" Epel asked, tilting his head to the side.
"It does. Honestly, it's even better when I imagine the faces of some assholes on the items before I smash them." Yuu laughed, hand reaching out and scratching Grim right behind the ear, which caused the monster cat to let out a happy meow in response.
"He can be peaceful when he's tired." Jack commented, looking at the blue-eyed cat.
"Otherwise, he's an unstoppable ball of shenanigans." Ace added, which caused a laugh out of a few of the first years.
"I think that also applies to you, Ace." Deuce sweatdropped.
"I'm nothing like Grim."
"You are."
"Nuh uh!"
"What d'ya mean nuh uh?!"
Ace had honestly forgotten about the conversation. Really, it just... sat in the back of his mind, never to be fished out again. He didn't feel like remembering, until today, of course. Because no day in Night Raven College ever goes on with peace.
A failed exam that came with a private scolding from both the teacher, and Riddle, for having such a grade, though the latter was much nicer and graceful about it, a lack of sleep and the constant urge to punch people in the face was not a good mix. Throw in some seniors making fun of the others for whatever petty reason they had that the redhead could not remember, and Ace was... a ticking bomb. He didn't know when he was going to explode.
Then he remembered it. Rage room. Venting. No one there. He could literally decide to just go there after class if he wanted. And, judging from how close he was, and with Jamil asking if he should come to practice because he looked like he could slam someone's face into the concrete, he decided to take the chance.
"Huh? Ace, don't you have practice today?" Deuce asked, seeing how the redhead was not heading down the usual path that came with his routine. Ace stopped, looking at his friend.
"Nah, Jamil said I looked too violent today, and he was not going to risk me getting injured during practice." he said with a shrug "Though, in my honest opinion, I feel fine!" he added with a dismissive tone and an easy smile. Deuce blinked, confused.
"...Too violent?" he repeated.
"Sounds crazy, I know." Ace nodded "See ya at the dorms, Juice!"
"Wh- Again with the Juice?!" he heard Deuce complain as he ran down the hall, a reaction that caused Ace to laugh. Though, once he was out of the school premises and at the entrance, right by the statues of the Great Sevens, he let out a shaky exhale, bringing a hand to his face. His jaw was too tight. His hands were too shaky. His heart was hammering against his chest too fast. He hated it.
"No. Just- hold it in. Just hold it in." he murmured, walking past the statues as he felt his veins pumping, the sudden urge of adrenaline he did not want seeping in. He shook his head, teeth grinding against one another. He needed to keep it in. He really, really, needed to keep it in. If only rage rooms did exist here... But really, there weren't any. So, where the hell was he supposed to go to?
"...The mine." he murmured, blinking. The mine. The Dwarfs' Mine! Of course. Of course! That could work! The creature that lived in it was dead anyway, so it wasn't like it would fly or lunge at him! Haha! He's a genius!
"Alright. Let's go there."
The area was just as dark and creepy as he remembered. But, nonetheless, he was stronger now, so there was no need to fear. He wandered down the path to the mine, the dimly lit area only visible due to some of the crystals. But other than that, it was perfect.
Ace grabbed his magic pen, looking at the stone for a moment. It was shiny red, though the dim light made it slightly darker.
He didn’t know what took over him when he stared at his pen. But he just felt this surge of boiling anger. He let out a cry, releasing a wind spell that cut through a wood beam. He exhaled, a wheeze, before he repeated, his magic slashing another beam.
"I hate it! I hate it!" he roared, swinging his pen again. Another gust of wind cracked a rock.
"I hate these assholes thinkin' they can get to boss around like they own the world! They think they're hot shit!" he exclaimed, swinging. Again, another rock cracked.
"I hate that I keep doing the bare minimum and yet I get shit grades! I could be doing more!" another swing. A rock shattered into pieces, small pebbles scattering everywhere.
"I hate not having a unique magic while everyone else has one! I feel like a god damn outcast and I hate it!" A wooden beam shattered as well, wind gusts scattering everywhere. The walls of the cave cracked, the gems crumbling into pieces. Ace huffed out a breath, anger still coursing through his body.
He roared out again, his magic wildly swinging like wildclaws, tearing and destroying everything in its path. Clouds of dust began to form around him as each second passed, until eventually, nothing was left. Ace heaved, hands shaking as his magic pen slipped out of his hand. He felt... like something had been pushed out of his shoulders. He felt more light. He felt better. Way better. Like if a crushing weight had been shoved off of his entire body.
"...Yuu was right. It really is cathartic." Ace muttered, a hand pushing his bangs away. He really should do this more often.