I would like to mention that this is my first story so it may take some time for me to get the swing of things. If anyone has any helpful writing or uploading tips I would greatly appreciate that

This story does NOT follow the storyline set up in the original ASOUE. While this story is set at the time of Austere Academy there are a few major differences. These being Quigley Quagmire being present as he was never "dead" and the lack of Count Olaf as he has not found the children yet. Another few characters, Maci (yes she is named after me thank you very much) and Lilly are introduced as well. Enjoy!

Also, this chapter should be longer and pretty much all of them from here out!

Chapter Two

Maci

"Crabs!" Lilly yelped. Small crabs clambered about the floor. I grabbed Lilly closer and cautiously stepped into the small shack. They dispersed for a moment, giving me just enough time to hoist Lilly and our bags onto the stack of hay at the backside of the room. I screamed as I finally climbed out of reach of their pinchers and onto the stack of hay . I gasped.

"Well, this is a prediction."

"Predicament." I corrected her. She was only 5 years old but she enjoyed learning very much, as well as using big words, even if she wasn't using them correctly. I was proud of her, she wanted to be the best she could. I myself was more interested in art, though I prided myself on my vocabulary. I just think that you can find just as much, if not more, information in a single picture than in a textbook. I had a book where I kept all my precious drawings, I had been most recently sketching a picture of my mother, Lilly looks just like her. Speaking of my sister, she had already begun unpacking our few trinkets onto the shelf and setting our nonschool approved clothing into the bags and placing the bags in the corner. We had to change into our new uniforms, surprisingly enough they weren't nearly as strange or uncomfortable than I had imagined. The skirt was a bit large for my taste but I didn't, mind, I wasn't planning on finding a boyfriend at this school anyway. Friends obviously came first, but with the impression that Carmelita and Vice Principal Nero had already made I didn't know how plausible making friends would be. Maybe the occupants of the other orphans shacks would be more welcoming. Speaking of my new neighbors I realized that the yelling had died down. There were still whispers though, a lot of whispers. I leaned my ear up to the metal wall. Silence? Why is there silence?

Bang Bang Bang

I practically jumped in the air! The walls had vibrated against my head, frightening me.

"The door!" Lilly dismounted the bales, suddenly not phased by the crabs and swung open the door. A group of five- no six, children stood at our doorstep. I hadn't noticed the smallest, she looked near Lilly's age, a bit younger.

" Maci we have visitors! Visitors visitors!" She leaped up and down, causing the crabs to further disperse. I climbed off of the bales and met Lilly at the door. I quietly grabbed Lilly's hand and made sure we were a safe distance from whoever they were. One of them elbowed another boy, I had just noticed that they were indentical! They must be twins! He elbowed him again.

"Ah! Right, um, hi?" He stood there with a frightened smile. My eyebrows twisted into a confused v shape.

"Do you boys have a no social skills? Ugh." A tall girl scoffed and stepped to the front of the pack, pushing the twins out of her way. "My name is Violet Baudelaire and this is my brother Klaus and our baby sister Sunny." A equally tall boy in glasses gently waved and the small girl in his arms greeted us with a smile. Another boy stepped from the group.

"Well my name is Quigley Quagmire and this is my brother Duncan and sister Isadora." Duncan had been the confused one that previously spoke first, I believe, they just looked so similar!

"Twins?" I sheepishly asked.

"Triplets." The girl confidently replied. The group stood there staring at me for a moment waiting, what were they waiting for?

"Oh! How rude of me." I gasped "This is my sister Lilly and I'm Maci, um, Maci Worthington." I sounded like such a nerd! Maci um Maci Worthington, I mimicked in my head. I was already making a bad first impression!

"Well it's very nice to meet you Maci and Lilly." The girl, Violet, stood for a moment.

"We're your neighbors." Isadora, I think it was, finally added. I repeated the names in my head so I wouldn't mess them up. I had no clue which triplet was which though. I could figure that out later.

"Oh, like you live in the other-" I paused "orphan shacks?" They all let out a simultaneous sigh.

"Yes they are quite dreadful." Isadora or Violet did most of the talking so seeing Duncan speak up was a surprise, or was that Quigley?

"Do you have crabs as well?" I asked

"Yes but Violet has created an amazing light projection contraption that scares them away." Klaus was beaming with pride for his sister. "She's quite the inventor."

"Now Klaus, we cant just go around bragging about the things that we've done." She said blushing.

"Oh, it's quite alright." I said, trying to make her feel better.

"Yes, they do make a great team, with Violet's inventiveness and Klaus's brains." Isadora smiled, equally as proud of her friends. "I myself prefer things like poetry though." I grinned, they would be perfect for Lilly, it seems none of them shared my interests though, unless Duncan or Quigley had a passion for art, which I did not think was the case. I had forgotten about my sister bouncing at my side.

She whispered "Can I talk." I nodded in approval. " Oh I am so glad to meet you and you can be my friends and we can do friend things together and you all like to learn and I like to learn very much too and I'm just so excited." She talked faster than I thought was possible. She let go of my grip and ran to the group. Somehow her small arms managed to grab them all and pull them into a hug. They all laughed as she released.

"We are glad you are so excited, Lilly."

Quigley suddenly perked up, I think I've got who's who down by now, "Why don't we give you a tour if Carmelita hasn't yet."

"She has not." We replied

"Lucky you." Violet rolled her eyes just thinking about Carmelita. "Well, Sunny and I must get back to our latest invention." Violet took the toddler from her brother. "It was nice meeting you!" She made her way back to the first shack. Klaus and Isadora gave each other a look.

"Well, we're going to... go and-" Isadora giggled staring at him.

"Ew, just go already." Duncan scoffed.

"And bring her back early!" Quigley yelled as the pair practically skipped off. "So I guess you're stuck with us two." The two grinned. Despite them being near identical Duncan was by far the cuter twin to me, he held himself differently I suppose, not that he was more confident, maybe just more lively I guess? I could have slapped myself at that moment because I was already falling back into my boy crazy ways. That's when I realized I'd been staring at Duncan, like an idiot!

"Maci? You ok?" I snapped back to where I was. Quigley held in a giggle while Duncan turned bright red. He quickly turned and began guiding us to a large building. I'm such a nerd, I sighed.