Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of any of the characters or other elements (pun intended) portrayed in this story.
"Unmaking the World"
By: Starwin
Episode 2: Lost Will
Part 3: Side by Side
"I said, good morning class!" Mr. Keck repeated to the unenthusiastic children.
"Good morning, Mr. Keck," the students echoed back, half heartedly.
"Well, as you might have guessed, we have something fun planned today!" Mr. Keck announced rubbing his hands together excitedly. "You're all here because you're looking for some extra credit, which some of you need significantly more than others."
The class was a strange assortment of several different grades and classes. Mr. Keck had been able to get permission to combine all of the students, that had signed up for extra credit, into one class for this special activity.
"There comes a point, in ever young student's career, where they must deal with, shall we say, the facts of life? So, I shall pair you up, male and female, and we will get started!" The whole class looked uneasy. A hand went up and Mr. Keck pointed out the girl. "Yes Ms. Lin?"
"Uh, sorry sir but what exactly is it that we're doing?" asked Hay Lin uncertainly.
"Diiiiissection!" replied Mr. Keck cheerfully. The class groaned. A few girls, Cornelia among them, recoiled in disgust.
"Clearly, this man has no idea what the word 'fun' means," Irma whispered under her breath. All traces of the damage that had been done to Irma's face were completely gone. Cornelia had done an amazing job with her healing magic. Even Irma's nose had been put back in its place.
The astral drop closed her eyes for a moment. So far everything had gone well. The guardians hadn't even questioned her about the events in Rakadin. Nor had any suspicion befallen her. Why should it? She was a perfect… copy.
Will's astral drop glanced at the oddly quiet Taranee sitting next to her. It had taken almost a week but Taranee was finally speaking again. More importantly she was no longer clinging to the astral drop every waking and sleeping moment. Although she still stuck close by the copy's side.
Not that the fake Will minded. After all she really was the redheaded girl that everyone believed her to be, in every aspect, except that she wasn't.
The astral drop liked her friends, Will's friends, and if she was to play her part convincingly why shouldn't she enjoy hanging out with them?
"Don't worry, don't worry, it will be fun! I promise! Everyone stand up please, I'll be picking your partners! So up against the wall over there please, yes just like that, and I'll call out your names and assign you a desk!" Mr. Keck didn't wait for all the students to reach the wall before he started moving from desk to desk calling out pairs of students.
"Cornelia Hale and Alex Makson," Mr. Keck announced, indicating a desk near the back of the room. Cornelia left her group of friends and made her way to the work station. She frowned upon finding her short, scrawny, partner. Cornelia couldn't help but roll her eyes unable to believe she had been paired with such a loser.
Mr. Keck moved on calling out more names and seating more students. Pausing at the desk at the end of the row, Mr. Keck took a deep breath before announcing who was to sit there. "I know this is most likely asking for something to explode but, Irma Lair…"
"Hey, did he just say I make things explode?" Irma whispered to her friends who suppressed giggles.
"…and Dante Tuberonie. Try not to set my room on fire you two." Mr. Keck said in a falsely serious voice.
"Hmmf, my element is water, not fire," Irma pouted as she sat next to the redheaded boy who had jumped onto the stool so fast that he was now spinning around.
"Don't worry Keck-ster, we'll keep the fires small!" Dante said coming to a stop. Mr. Keck moved on rolling his eyes and shaking his head.
"Next up, Hay Lin and Hayden Leen," Mr. Keck said tapping the work station. Hay Lin hurried over excitedly while her partner slouched out of the line of students, moving slowly towards the station.
The boy had a hood pulled over his head and wore a heavy leather jacket, with a sweat shirt underneath, even though it wasn't all that cold outside today. Both his hands were stuffed in his pockets and he looked like he had no desire to be there. However, his mood did not seem to bring Hay Lin down in the slightest as he slumped onto the stool next to her.
Mr. Keck continued on. "Taranee Cook and Owin Ni," announced the Biology teacher. A little reluctantly, Taranee left the astral drop's side to silently take a seat next to an empty stool. There was a long pause but no one else stepped forward. "Owin Ni?" Mr. Keck called again looking around the room. However, it seemed Owin was not among the students.
"He's out sick teach," said Dante as he spun back and forth on his stool, much to Irma's annoyance.
"Huh, I could have sworn…" Mr. Keck mumbled to himself looking down at his role sheet. "Well it looks like you'll be on your own, Ms. Cook." Taranee nodded somberly but didn't say anything.
Mr. Keck returned to his list, still unable to fathom how he had overlooked the fact that one of his students was absent, he was sure he had marked Owin in. He shook his head and continued assigning seats until it seemed like Will's astral drop was the only one left to be called.
"And last but not least, Will Vandom, the inspiration for our project today," Will's astral drop sunk lower against the wall as all the heads in the room turned to look at her. She felt embarrassment and panic at the sudden attention. She was supposed to be playing it cool, and the last thing she needed was the teacher putting her at odds with her friends… Will's friends…
"…and Matt Olsen," finished Mr. Keck, announcing the astral drop's partner. The brief moment of fear quickly abated as Will's astral drop felt her cheeks warm. What were the odds that she would get to spend an entire lesson with her boyfriend! Or rather, Will's boyfriend. She couldn't help but feel a little guilty about not being the real Will. But why should she? She was just as real as the real one was!
"Well, let's get started," Mr. Keck said picking up a large white plastic container. His first stop was Cornelia and Alex's desk. Reaching inside the container he pulled out a plump, limp, green, frog! Moans of 'Eww' and 'Gross' came from the students. Both Alex and Cornelia looked at the dead frog in front of them, neither moved to touch it.
Mr. Keck continued on, handing out one frog to each pair of students. As Mr. Keck turned from Irma and Dante's desk, Dante picked up the frog and held it out at Irma.
"Kiss me, I'm a prince!" Dante said pinching the frog's mouth open. Irma whacked Dante in the back of the head.
"Idiot," she sighed.
Hay Lin was busy adjusting her safety goggles, her tongue sticking out the side of her mouth and her face screwed up in concentration.
"Uh, Ms. Lin I don't think you will be requiring protective eyewear for this experiment." said Mr. Keck as he set the frog down on her desk.
"You can never be too careful!" replied Hay Lin with a smile. She picked up her scalpel like a fork as though she were ready to devour the frog at break neck speed. Hayden hardly looked at the dead creature before turning his head elsewhere.
"Sorry," apologized Mr. Keck as he reached Taranee's desk and laid the frog before her. She raised a surprised eyebrow at her teacher. "I wanted everyone to have a partner for this but I guess I must have miscounted."
"It's alright," lied Taranee. "I prefer to work on my own anyhow." Mr. Keck nodded oblivious to the fact that being alone at the moment was the last thing the girl wanted.
Will's astral drop was seated at the front of the room, with Matt. She hardly noticed Mr. Keck's arrival nor did she even hear the words he said to her.
"Hmm, I'm sorry, what was that Sir?" Will's astral drop asked dreamily.
"I asked, aren't you excited to be working with frogs?" Mr. Keck repeated, his hand was still holding onto the frog lying on the desk. Will's astral drop looked down at the lifeless green creature and was finally snapped out of her stupor. She didn't know why but she felt sick and full of grief when she saw it.
Mr. Keck seemed to notice. "I thought you really liked them, you seem to have an affinity for the little amphibians." This was partly true, Will's astral drop was currently wearing a tan shirt, under her pink and blue sweater, with a frog emblem emblazoned on the front, her backpack too had frogs on it, just about everything in her room… in Will's room… she corrected her thoughts again.
"Uh, yeah," said Will's astral drop uneasily. "But that doesn't mean I want to cut them up." Mr. Keck looked a little crest fallen, having not even considered that this might be a horrific experience for the girl.
"If you'd rather not take part…" said Mr. Keck, trying to sound apologetic.
"I…" the astral drop's eyes found Matt sitting next to her, a supportive smile on his face, "I think I can manage."
"Alright then!" smiled Mr. Keck standing up and addressing the whole class. He moved to the front of the room and put the plastic frog bin under his desk, then switched on a digital projector displaying his own frog. "Knifes up everyone and do as I do."
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"I can honestly say, that was the grossest thing I have ever seen," said Cornelia. She looked a little green in the face, like a frog, as Irma had pointed out.
"Oh come on! You didn't even touch yours!" Irma said putting her arm around Cornelia and poking her. "At least you didn't have my partner! What a wuss, he gave up after the first cut!"
"At least you had a partner," said Taranee quietly to herself.
"You're probably better off that boy didn't show up anyhow. Their group is just a bunch of jerks!" Irma said waving off Taranee's uncertainty with a hand. "I mean that guy Hayden he didn't even do any of the work! Hay Lin had to do it all herself! Right Hay Hey?" Hay Lin shrugged.
"It was actually kind of fun! Hey! Is anyone else hungry? I have this strange craving for frog!" said Hay Lin, rubbing her tummy. Her friends glared at her and Cornelia looked as though she might throw-up right then and there. "What?"
Only Will's astral drop remained silent, lost in her own thoughts. She glanced around at her friends again.
Why did life have to be so unfair to those that didn't have it? Thought the astral drop. Why can't they just be my friends? After all I'm Will aren't I? I have just as much right to be here as she did, don't I?
The astral drop closed her eyes and shook her head. What was she thinking? She was here to be their enemy, a spy among them. To distract the girls while her Empress did who knew what to the real Will.
Why was she even having these thoughts? And why did the memories seem so much stronger now than they had a few days ago; back when she had first arrived at the Silver Dragon, pretending to be the real Will? She remembered everything, right up until the moment she had been pulled out of the real Will. But as of late the memories seemed to be much more vivid and the astral drop was starting to have trouble separating herself and Will, in her mind.
"Earth to Will!" Cornelia said waving a hand in front of the astral drop's face. "Are you even listening?"
"Huh, sorry what?" the astral drop asked confused. Damn it she had lost her focus. Recover, recover… "Sorry, I was just thinking…"
"Thinking about what?" asked Irma, a goofy grin on her face. "Thinking about Maaatttt?" she asked grabbing the astral drop around the shoulders in a one armed hug. The redheaded imitation put on her best fake smile.
"Yeah, you got me!" lied the astral drop.
"Poor love struck girl," Irma moaned dramatically putting her hand to her forehead and closing her eyes. "What unrequited love hast thou fallen into?" the others giggled at Irma and this time the astral drop couldn't help smiling for real.
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"They don't seem like much of a threat, do they?" asked Dante as he and his friends watched the guardians chatting and laughing.
"They are still our enemies," Hayden said darkly.
"But their power is nothing compared to ours," Alex whispered.
"Hmfp," Hayden grunted. "We should take them now, finish what we started."
"But Serenity said…" Alex began.
"I don't care what Serenity said!" Hayden hissed.
"Hey back off man!" Dante said moving between the two. "What's been up with you lately?" Dante tried to poke Hayden in the chest with a finger but the older boy knocked it away.
"Don't touch me," said Hayden.
"Ever since we became Dragon Knights you've been acting funny," continued Dante.
"And nothing is wrong. Go do, whatever you want. I'm outta here." Stuffing his hands back into his pockets Hayden turned from his friends and stalked off.
The two boys shot each other sideways looks, but neither said anything. They were both thinking the same thing. Hayden couldn't stand not being their leader anymore.
End of Part 3: To Be Concluded!
Authors Notes:
I have to say, I have a love hate relationship with this chapter. I kind of wish I could cut it but it still needs to be in the story. I like the 'fun' that it brings but… sigh, I dono…
Anyhow, thanks to everyone who reviewed! You are the fuel that keeps me from burning out and crashing into the ground, then exploding into millions of shards and then being crushed by a giant falling whale from the sky. See you're reviews have the power to prevent all that! So I would like to thank everyone who too the time to leave a review for Part 2! XV-Dragon, Dai Makai and KnightofFaerun
If you haven't left a review, that's alright too, you're always welcome to join us in the forums or PM me if you want to talk. But every time you stay silent somewhere a fairy drops down dead… fairy killers… (I'm just being funny btw, obviously I don't expect everyone who comes through to review)
SUPERAWSOME THANKS to my BETA Readers! Waterclaws and Kuramas Girl Angel
Up next Wednesday is Part 4, don't miss the exciting conclusion to Episode 2!
Starwin out
