The Wild School Bus
Chapter 1 - Magi
Gus was a bus that never had much to make him fuss, for he had a kind owner, great friends, and a new adventure to look forward to everyday. But even though he always enjoyed helping Fiona teach the class something new, he couldn't help but feel lonely. Gus didn't know what it was yet, but something was missing.
"Brr! What a chilly morning! And here, I was hoping for Spring to come a little early," Fiona shook in the cold wind, as she approached Gus parked outside the school; she was about to depart for home after the school day ended, but a sorrowful grunt of his gears stopped her in her tracks.
Fiona placed a reassuring hand on the school bus' hood, "You feeling alright there, Gus? You don't look like your cheery self—goodness, I think your paint's getting pale, too!"
Gus merely rolled his eyes, making Fiona even more concerned, "Maybe it's the weather. Would you like a new coat of paint once it warms up?"
Once more, Gus responded negatively and reversed a few feet away before attempting to go to sleep. That confirmed it for Fiona: Something was wrong with Gus, but what? He never acted this way. Maybe Valerie would know something that could help.
The said professor/galactic traveler was currently exploring an underwater sea cave in the Twilight zone, riding on the back of her magic motorcycle, and both her and Goldie were dressed in appropriate scuba diving gear. Valerie cast her light on something shiny when her satellite phone started ringing, and she didn't hesitate to answer.
"Hey, Val! Are you busy?" Fiona asked on the other end.
"If you call possibly discovering a whole new underwater species 'busy', yes. What's up?" Valerie casually replied.
"I'm worried something's wrong with Gus."
"What's wrong with him?"
"Well, he's been acting a little moody lately."
Valerie chuckled, "Oh, Gus tends to get a little independent from time to time, that's nothing new!"
"Maybe, but he's been trying to ignore me, too. I'm really worried I won't be able to help him."
"Well then, maybe you shouldn't."
"W-What?"
"I didn't mean any offense towards you, little sis. It's not even your fault. Let me ask you, do you know what holiday is coming up?"
"Um—National White Shirt Day?"
Valerie burst out laughing, "No, Silly—but I did forget about that, so thanks for the reminder. I was referring to Valentine's Day."
"What does that have to do with helping Gus?"
"Well, Valentine's Day is a holiday for celebrating the love you have for your significant other, but you can't exactly do that when you don't have said partner."
"So, Gus is just lonely?"
"Correctamundo! He just needs a companion, and I have a friend who owes me a favor who can help. Just leave it to me, Fiona."
"But isn't that meddling, Val? What if he doesn't want our help, and we just make it worse?"
"Nonsense! Would you get mad at me if I helped you make a friend that was just like you?"
"Well, no—I guess not."
"There ya go. Everything will be fine, Fiona. I promise."
The said teacher sighed in defeat, "Alright, I trust you. I just hope you know what you're doing, Sis."
What did Gus expect for tomorrow? Honestly, just some sort of crazy field trip that Fiona hadn't taken the class on yet. Sure, he appreciated crazy, but he had been feeling far more tired than usual; he didn't know what it was that was making him so depressed, but it always kept him up late at night. He was getting sick of it.
A winter wind blew into the bus barn, causing Gus to avert his attention to the sparkling snow that decorated Walkerville Elementary School; it was a truly beautiful and serine sight, but Gus wish he had someone to share it with.
Someone to share it with? That's crazy! Gus thought in surprise, reminding himself that he was just fine on his own. So what if it's easier for everyone else to find a significant other, and that it's not for magical and sentient vehicles like him? It didn't matter to him, not at all…not at all.
A shooting star racing across the night sky caught Gus' attention, and he looked up at it with hopeful eyes. He wanted to deny it, but he couldn't help but wish on it, But maybe…I don't have to be alone? Just a thought.
Gus awoke the next morning to the sound of children's obnoxious chatter and laughter, as they entered the main entrance of the school to start the day. The magical bus stretched and yawned like a feline, exiting the bus barn afterwards to look for Fiona. He soon found her standing outside of the school with her class, Arnold standing front and center of everyone with his hands nervously twiddling themselves like always; despite his usual lack of courage, he was the one who wanted to find out what dangerous trip he and his friends were in for, just to be prepared.
"Alright, Kids, instead of taking a field trip today, I'm going to show you something a little different yet slightly the same," Fiona began with a big smile.
"How can something be both different and the same?" Ralphie questioned with a quirked brow.
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, now, would it?" Fiona paused while turning her attention to main road, where a Greyhound was pulling a smaller yellow bus behind it with a chain. "Oh, there they are now!"
"Who's they?" Arnold was the first to ask.
"Valerie and I are working on a certain project, so she called a friend to help us get what we needed," Fiona explained. Gus couldn't help overhear this, so he pulled out of the barn ever so slightly, and his curiosity was piqued when he not only noticed that the Greyhound bus and yellow bus pulled into the school parking lot, but that they were also sentient like him.
Once they were parked, a tall, burly man with black hair and a goatee stepped out of the Greyhound bus.
"Ah, you must be Fiona. Valerie's little sister, right?" the man asked while extending his hand, his voice thick with a southern accent.
"That's me. What's your name, Sir?" Fiona asked and politely shook his hand.
"Name's Gregg, and this here's my trusty transportation partner, Grey. She and I serve as an international mode of transportation. Jungles in the south, ocean floors in the middle of the sea, volcanoes on Hawaii, you name it and we'll take ya there!"
"She's quite a beautiful bus," Fiona complemented, making Grey blush lightly, "So, is Grey going to be helping us?"
"Actually, the feisty yellow one behind Grey is who's stayin' with ya," Gregg replied nervously, and stopped Fiona when she attempted to walk around Grey and see the other bus, "I'm warnin' ya, be careful with this one."
"Oh, it's just a harmless bus, how bad can it be?" Fiona scoffed and quickened her pace, the class not far behind, and they all gasped when they saw the other bus in full view. It was a 1970 Ward International, just like Gus, but with a single lightning bolt-shaped line across its sides instead of the traditional straight, black lines.
"He's gorgeous!" Fiona breathed in awe as she tried to approach the new bus, but it immediately backed away and sent a death glare towards her.
"She, it's a she, actually. Her name is Magi," Gregg quickly informed.
"Magi? Does that mean she's magic, too?" Jyoti questioned out of great curiosity.
"It sure does—and that's the problem," Gregg sighed.
"How is that a problem? We love our own magic school bus, so why wouldn't we like this one?" DA inquired.
"Because she's new?" Arnold answered shakily.
"You're scared of anything that's new," Carlos stated matter-of-factly.
"I was new, and you warmed up to me eventually. We just need to give Magi a chance, too," Fiona defended the said female school bus, but the latter's scowl remained persistent, "Can I have her keys, Gregg?"
Gregg rubbed the back of his neck while pulling a single key from his pocket, "Sure, but they're pointless."
"Why's that?"
"No one's been able ta tame Magi yet. That's why I chained her ta Grey and dragged her here."
Fiona stared at Magi in disbelief, "She doesn't trust humans."
"Not in the slightest. You'll be lucky if you can even get her ta listen to ya. She hardly listens ta me, and I've known her for her whole life. I wasn't lyin' when I said ya need ta be careful."
As Gregg went on, he unhooked the chains from Grey's bumper and attached them to the nearest pole to keep Magi tethered.
"If those chains break, she's gonna run off, so keep an eye on 'em," Gregg informed firmly. Just then, a few familiar honks pierced the air, and none other than Gus himself finally came to see what the fuss was about. But as soon as he laid eyes on Magi, he froze and went wide-eyed like a deer in the head lights. Magi barely locked eyes with Gus before turning away in disgust, but he still didn't take his eyes off of her.
Fiona was the first and only to notice Gus' reaction, and she smirked with a brilliant idea, "Don't worry, Gregg. I know just how to keep her in line."
"If ya say so. But if ya do need any help with wranglin' her, be sure ta gimme a holler," Gregg added and handed Fiona a card with his number on it.
"Thank you very much. We'll take it from here."
Gregg gave Magi one last pleading look, as if to say "Behave for them," before getting back onboard Grey and drove off. There was a long moment of silence, as Fiona pondered how she would make Gus and Magi see eye to eye, and the kids simply kept staring in confusion at the new bus.
"So, does this mean we have another magic school bus?" Ralphie eventually broke the silence.
If there are any other stories centered around the bus, I have yet to see them. I won't lie, I literally just started getting into the Magic School Bus fandomXD
Also, I know they normally just call the magic bus "Bus" or Bussy," but it just didn't feel right to me. Also, also, I know they refer to the bus as "it," but again, I just didn't feel it would work if I didn't give it a gender. Aside from all that, I hope you enjoy the story!
Until the next chapter, I'm TRikiD, bye-bye!