Hey everyone, Paradigm of Writing here with the 10th chapter of Policies in Detention: Loving the Liar. I'm sad to announce, that this is the 2nd to last chapter of the story, we will have our conclusion in the next chapter... and I'm sad to let it go. However, I have new stuff on the rise such as a WIP horror one-shot series called Infernum (3rd chapter is coming out tomorrow, actually), and my collab with Writer of Worlds, as well as my poll story coming in October! So yes, I have a pretty eventful time in my fanfiction life, I just have to make sure I spread it out real well. And, because the document manager isn't being an ass and glitching, I can reply to these reviews!
Guest- Other way around. Mac is the athlete (he already, technically is one in canon, so that won't change). Ike is the bully, although he really isn't... I just didn't have a better epithet for him. Lucas, obviously is the nerd, Peach is the queen princess of the school/really rich girl that no one likes, and Sheik is that run-of-the-mill stereotypical weirdo. Ness is the school janitor, while Mario is a teacher whose been doing detention monitoring for a really long time. Hope that clears all confusion!
Ness- Thanks for letting me know that. I actually had a hard time writing it, so I didn't seem too biased towards anything such as sex, sexuality, political parties etc... However, there is one backstory you don't know fully, and that's Peach. And, also they technically aren't Smashers as of now, but students. Glad to know you're reading!
MahNati- And how right you are! Peach and Sheik will have a nice little, heart to heart per say and it's going to do something quite magical for one of the two girls. You'll see the moment with the papers, as they haven't forgotten them. They've got quite a loophole to work through, but I won't mention it necessarily. Mac is going to do something that is out of his character here, canonically and AU wise, but it'll make for an important factor next chapter. And the reason why Pit's family hasn't done anything is because Pit hasn't said anything about what happened. He's too afraid. With me and my censoring, it's Rated T which cannot have expressively foul language, lest it be overdone. My generation, as I know of, we curse like sailors for the majority, and that's what these kids shall do too. The f word is too explicit for me to leave as it is, so I censor it. You know what the word is of course, but I choose to leave it there for dramatic purposes.
Sir Merp of Derp- Why hello there! Thanks for the compliment! I personally feel that this is my weakest chapter, while #7 is the strongest of the group. I may need to alter some stuff and fix a few grammatical errors to keep my story all on the same playing field. Hmm... what gave you the idea that Sheik was a cutter? I indicated that she was a drinker, because she wished to die from it, as it's a slow death versus suicide from other means. And, I think you're running out of adjectives, but I get what you're trying to say, so thank you!
Here we are guys, the breath before the plunge (Lord of the Rings Return of King reference anyone?). Let's do this!
"Are you alright?"
Peach looked up at Sheik, scowling. "Do you really think I am? Or are you just asking me that for the sake of conversation?"
"No need to be bitter about it. I'm being nice and asking a question that friends would ask."
"We are not friends."
"Acquaintances perhaps?" Sheik suggested.
"Not even that."
"Lovers?" Sheik teased.
Peach shuddered. "You're sick. How do I know you're being nice to me, when you just said you compulsively lie?"
"That's up for you to decide. I can't make the decision for you."
"What do you want?"
"I came to check on you. Ike's comment seemed to have a riveting effect on you."
"You've got that right," Peach nodded. "I can't stand the fact that he thinks just because I have money means I shouldn't care. News flash, money doesn't make someone happy. It can be a temporary replacement, but you don't have it forever. People make people happy, not money."
"You don't have to explain that to me." Sheik said.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead. Nothing offends me."
"Why do you act the way you do?" Peach asked.
Sheik blinked momentarily, not offended, but merely shocked at why Peach would ask a question so rash. She frowned. "I'm not noticed my parents either, in a way where they sometimes forget my name, but that's because they get so drunk they can't see straight. I act like a complete psycho because it gets me noticed. I don't want to be a shadow that no one remembers. I'd rather be infamous than famous."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"No need to apologize. But, can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"I want to look pretty. For the past few hours, I've been contemplating my self image because of a conversation Mac and I had while getting everyone's lunch. However, I'm also thinking of what Ike said, calling me a freak. I want to be more than that. I'd like to change my self image."
Peach frowned. "You want me to make you look prettier?"
Sheik nodded. "Just to try it out. Is that too much to ask for?"
"No... no-not at all," Peach stuttered. "Lemme go get my purse."
Sheik watched her get up, and it left the 'weirdo' to collect a simple thought. "Maybe he'll finally notice me. Just maybe."
Mac frowned, seeing that the row of bookshelves was empty of a certain blonde haired individual. "Dammit. Where could he be?"
After the party circle broke up rather unceremoniously, the athlete wanted to have a private moment with Lucas to explain his predicament of his feelings... something that was tearing him up inside. Trying to hide it wouldn't be a smart choice, for the other three saw through him like plastic. The boxer slammed his fist into a bookshelf, hoping that the noise would stir a reaction somewhere in the maze of wood.
A little gasp came from behind him, and Mac turned to see that Lucas was sitting down in a corner, War and Peace nestled between his legs. Mac blushed, realizing that Lucas had seen him make a complete fool of himself for the past five minutes. The nerd set the page he was reading against his thumb, and looked up. His face was rippling into a dark scowl.
"Yes, Mac?"
"I've been looking all over for you-"
"I know," Lucas interrupted. "I could hear you from a damn mile away. You seriously should learn how to lower your voice. For all we know, Mr. Porter heard you from wherever he is."
"I-" Mac started.
Lucas overrode him again. "Now, are you going to actually say something or continue drooling at me like an idiot?"
"I want to talk."
"What do you think we're doing?"
"Oh shut the hell up Mather," Mac snarled. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. I'd like to discuss the circle..." he added, much softer.
Lucas reopened his book. "I don't think I need to continue that conversation. I don't mingle with people who hurt my friends."
"But that's what I want to talk to you about-"
"Didn't you hear what I just said?"
"If you'd give me a-"
"No."
"Please, give me a-"
"I said no!"
"But-"
"No!"
"F****** hell Lucas! I lied!" Mac screamed at the top of his lungs, lunging for the nerd and lifting him off the ground.
Lucas choked. "You what?"
"I was lying to you," Mac repeated. "I lied to all four of you. I didn't beat Pit up. Another friend of mine did."
The schoolboy being lifted up his collar snorted. "Yeah right. And I lied about me wanting to shoot myself with a toy."
"I'm serious," the athlete insisted, lowering Lucas to the ground. "I didn't beat Pit up. Wario did. The football captain, that Wario."
Lucas grimaced. "I don't want that guy's name to be mentioned. But, what makes you say that?"
"Because he did. Wario was cheating on Mr. Porter's final exam, and Pit saw him. He was about to report him to Mario, but Wario knew exactly what was going on. Mr. Porter left the room for a moment, and then he wailed on Pit. The poor guy didn't stand a chance, and no one stepped in. Even I didn't... for I didn't want my reputation to be ruined."
"You're just like everybody else then. You are so worried about keeping your self image intact that you forget the main morals. You're disgusting to me, Mac."
"I haven't finished," Mac said crossly, standing firm. "Mr. Porter came back in, and saw that Pit was on the ground bleeding. He demanded to know who did it. Wario wasn't sure as hell going to say he did, and I know that no one was going to blame him. I wasn't going to either. So, instead I-"
"You told Mr. Porter that you beat Pit up, and everyone believed it." Lucas finished.
"Exactly."
"Why would you do something like that. Last I recall, you and Wario are hardly friends."
"Wario has a football scholarship out to some school in Oregon, and that was his only ticket to a future. I make decent grades, and I'm staying here in town for community college. Wario had everything to lose, I had nothing to lose, so I decided to put the blame on myself." Mac explained.
"... That's rather heroic of you..." Lucas commented.
"Thanks. But, that also isn't why I wanted to talk to you."
"Do I have to get Ike-"
"I like you."
Lucas blinked. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. I like you." Mac said.
"If you think that buttering me up like a lobster for the grill is going to get you anywhere, stop right now." Lucas shot down his statement.
"I'm serious."
Lucas opened his book. "Look Mac, thanks. I'm flattered. I'll admit it, I like you too. Or at least I thought I did. Then I got to know you, and I was repulsed."
"If you give me a chance-"
"I technically did give you a chance when-"
"You never told me that."
"Did I have to?"
"No, but-"
"Then there's nothing to discuss. Like, at all. Get lost Mac."
"But-"
"I'm not repeating myself."
"But-"
"I swear, you say that one more time-"
Mac grabbed Lucas by the waist, and pulled him in for a kiss. All of the words that were coming out of Lucas's mouth were stopped abruptly as their lips crashed together. In an awkward shift of movement, the two boys were scrunched up against a bookcase, the hard spines of books digging into Lucas's spine. The nerd gasped, which made Mac think he was enjoying the intimate moment so he kissed him harder. Lingering down slowly, Mac rested a hand on Lucas's chest. Lucas ran his hands through Mac's hair, enjoying the feeling of his cool hair sliding between his fingers. A lingering clash of cinnamon, sweat, and lavender mixed into one as the two boys broke apart, leaving each rather breathless and blushing. Mac's face was a bright rosy pink, Lucas's a more suave violet.
"Did I change your mind any?" Mac asked.
Lucas gingerly touched his lips. "What was that?"
"Something I call love." Mac smirked. He kissed him again.
Lucas pushed gently on the athlete. "Please, stop. I don't want to-"
"Liar," Mac said. "If you didn't enjoy it, you would've pushed me a long time ago. Five bucks says that was the best kiss you've ever had. Or maybe the first kiss you have ever had."
It was Lucas's turn to grin cheekily. "Five bucks says you're wrong."
"Deal."
The two kissed again, not caring whether or not they were being watched. All that mattered was that they compromised their differences.
"Are you almost done?" Ike called, looking up at the clock above the library door.
"Good god," Peach crowed. "You sound like my mother. Give me one more minute, I have a few more last touches to give her."
"Ouch..." Sheik's voice rang from behind the bookshelf. "You just pinched me with that tweezer."
Ike chuckled to himself. "I swear, if she's not better than before, I'll doll her up myself."
"Give it a rest already," Peach responded. "There's nothing more you can say or do to change the fact that Sheik is amazing now."
"Not that I wasn't amazing before?" Sheik asked.
"She didn't mean it like that-" Ike started to defend the school princess.
"Done!" Peach exclaimed.
"Let me see her!" Ike said, although his voice made it sound much more like a yell.
"My god. You make me sound like a present or something, like an art piece. Calm the hormones down." Sheik said.
Peach walked out from the girl's 'hiding spot' first, her left hand hidden by the wooden block. Walking slowly, Sheik followed. Ike's eyes widened, almost in disbelief at what he saw. Her scarf was gone, her hair was no longer in her face. Her blonde hair was tied into a braid, the strand loosely touching her back in a curved manner. Two azure, diamond eyes radiated with the power of the sun, at least in Ike's vision. Her true face shined like a star, powdered white cheeks and cute freckles with her dimples actually being shown as she smiled. Sheik Cralle no longer had to hide behind her façade. She could be who she actually spired to be.
Peach let her own comments do all the talking. "What do you think?"
"I- I don't know." Ike admitted.
"I feel naked." Sheik said.
"No, you don't. You look gorgeous!" Peach and Ike shouted at the same time. The two then laughed, finding it amusing that the two were thinking alike. Ike took Sheik's hand, and pulled her in closer.
"I don't think I've seen someone prettier than you."
Peach smiled, but then realized that there was quite an intimate moment going on that she shouldn't interrupt. "I'm going to go find Mac and Lucas..."
The two were left alone, letting their own unopened feelings for each other say all the words they wished to say.
"I got tired of hiding behind that curtain of mine," Sheik whispered. "Letting go of it might be what I need to reestablish the true Cralle I was born to be."
Ike slid a thumb over her cheeks. "You look beautiful."
"You flatter me," Sheik admitted. "But... I don't think you'd want to be with me."
"And what makes you think that?" Ike asked, his eyes twinkling playfully.
"I thought you had eyes on Peach."
"Then you are very bad at spotting the obvious."
"Are you making fun of me?"
"Nope. You gave me an opportunity." Ike said. Leaning in, he gently pressed his lips to her own.
A squeak emitted itself from Sheik's lips, as she hadn't expected the abrupt touch of intimacy. In his life, Ike never dated someone he truly liked for who they were. They always tried to deny it, or allude to something else. That wasn't the case with Sheik, at least for him. She may have put up a fortress that she wanted no one else to breach, but he knew a way around her defenses. The two broke apart, not realizing how long they actually had kissed for.
Sheik smiled. "You're a good kisser."
"Likewise." Ike laughed.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Anything."
"Do you want to go out?"
"Can I give an answer."
"Of course."
Ike grinned. "Yes."
There we are you guys! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I sure did! We're nearing the very end, or actually we are at the very end. I want to thank you all for sticking to this piece, and reading it out to the end. You've all made this one of my most successful fics this summer, and I want to let you all know how much I appreciate it. I'll either have the last chapter, #11: Sincerely, The Smashers by either Monday or Wednesday. I originally had a Mario and Ness scene I wanted to write in, but I couldn't find a loophole to put it in through. But here's the main question for you. Who was this chapter title referring to as the liar? Answer in the reviews, and I'll tell the real answer! Love you all! Thanks guys! Bye!
~ Paradigm