Ok, so I know I haven't updated this story, or any other story, in a half a year.

But do you know what my friends?

Summer is coming.

And that means no school, which means free time, which means finishing this story and then hopefully writing more!

And so, on to Friday!

The first half of the day whizzed by. Breakfast, bus (Bryan didn't say a word) first half of the day, lunch, then back to class.

Mrs. Osborn spoke, "Ok class, it's time to begin our play about the Spanish Conquest of Mexico. Who would like to play Montezuma, King of the Aztecs?" My hand shot up. Isabelle looked at me out if the corner if her eye, the hint of a smirk on her face. Mrs. Osborn's eyes widened. "Isabella? You want to play an old Aztec Ki - okay then!" The rest of the roles were handed out. Phineas, Ferb and the gang were all Aztecs. Some other kids were Spanish soldiers. One kid was a shrub (not sure why.) Finally, Mrs. Osborn assigned the last role. Who would like to be Cortes, conqueror of the Aztecs and spreader of imperialism and smallpox?" Isabelle raised her hand, obviously relishing in the chance to play the conqueror of my ancestors. "Okay then, so Isabelle will be Cortes!" Miss Osborn said. She stood up and continued, "So this play will be all improv. Use what we've learned about Cortes and the Aztecs thus far as material, and have fun with this! Places, and...action!"

Isabelle strode forward, flanked by "Spaniards" on either side.

"Greetings!" She said, her face creased by a smirk running from ear to ear. "I am Cortes! My men and I come from a far off land known as Spain! We bring only peace and Christianity, and most definitely not superior weaponry and armor or virally infectious diseases!"

I bowed before Isabelle, my "Aztecs" following my lead, causing her smirk to grow still larger. That's it, I thought, Build her up, make her think she's beaten you into submission. I spoke,

"Oh grand pale one! Our prophecies tell of a pale God who left long ago, one day to return with gifts of wonder! Today is a day of rejoicing!"

"Indeed!" Answered Isabelle. "This calls for a celebration come into our camp and enjoy a meal and trade your raw materials to us in exchange for blankets which clearly carry no smallpox!" She began to walk off towards an imaginary camp.

It was time.

"Wait." I said, my voice low and commanding. Isabelle turned, confused.

"What?" I continued.

"We cannot trade with you." Isabelle looked even more confused.

"Why?"

I stepped forward, my Aztecs standing behind me menacingly.

"You have taken the land which is rightfully ours. Years from now my people will be forced to live in mobile homes on reservations. Your people will wear cardigans, and drink highballs. We will sell our bracelets by the road sides, you will play golf, and enjoy hot hors d'oeuvres. My people will have pain and degradation. Your people will have stick shifts. The gods of my people have spoken. They have said, "Do not trust the Spanish, especially Hernando Cortes."

There was a pause, and then Mrs. Osborn began cheering wildly, with the whole class following suit.

"Brilliant improv Isabella! Although this sadly never happened and the entire Aztec society was reduced to rubble, your speech successfully sowed how much the past connects to the present! You get an A!"

"But-but-but... I was the star! I was supposed to win!" Isabelle stammered.

"Oh, come now Isabelle." Said Mrs. Osborn, "Your portrayal of Cortes was good too, a solid B+! Just so you know, if you'd mentioned smallpox that often in real life, the Aztecs probably would have gotten suspicious and killed you. Just some food for thought."

The rest of the day was a breeze. Isabelle had been shown up and dealt with, Bryan was no longer a bully, and I had a whole weekend ahead of me. As we rode the bus home I turned to Phineas.

"So Phineas, what did you end up doing about those...you know..."

"Glasses?" He answered. I nodded. He smiled.

"Got contacts! He said, waving around a brand new box he'd pulled from his pocket.

"Cool!" I said. I took a deep breathe. This was it. Time to deploy the cute.

"So...watcha doin' today?" The usual shock waves, fireworks, etc. occurred, and as if nothing had happened, said, "We're building the biggest pillow ever!"

"Oh." I said, confused by the lack of reaction. "Can, uh - can I see your box of contacts there please?"

"Sure thing!" He said. I read the back of the box.

Warning - side effects may include drowsiness, runny nose, decrease in vision, increase in vision, normal vision, super vision, no vision, and decrease in cuteness sensitivity.

Facepalm. OF COURSE Phineas got cute resistant contact lenses.

I sat for a moment, the. Started to chuckle. This was crazy. This whole week was crazy. This bus was crazy.

I wanted to remember it.

I'm not that big of a fan of vandalism, but this was for a good cause, and besides, there was already so much writing on the seat in front of us that no one would notice anything new.

So I took out the marker that was meant to be used to humiliate Isabelle and started to write.

This is where I met everyone.

This is where Phineas found and then lost cuteness.

This is where Ferb ferbed.

This is where Troop 46321 was reborn.

This is where Bryan, Buford and Baljeet were reshaped.

This is where We were made.

I put my initials and the date. The bus stopped, and we all got off.

I think I left that marker in the bus. I never saw it again, in any case.

The End(?)

EPILOGUE TOMORROW