Chapter Ten: The Fox and The Archer

The second Jim entered the auditorium, he felt like a prisoner. Hundreds of eyes focused on him like spotlights and a siren of rumors followed his every gesture.

Weighted by the heavy stares, Jim slumped into the nearest empty seat. He had meant to hunt Wendy down and lecture her on how to the kick the crap out of ass holes, but the auditorium was swarming with unfamiliar faces – most of them still looking at him.

Ignoring the murmurs, Jim glared at his boots and imagined Pan squashed beneath them. Jim was still so livid that it was a while before he noticed the girl staring at him.

The girl was immediately recognizable by her crazy red hair and bow. The bow was propped in the empty seat between them, situated carefully like a regular person. Undaunted, the girl continued to stare over her bow at Jim.

"What?" Jim finally said.

The girl shrugged. "Ye should have clogged him."

Jim was momentarily caught off guard. Her accent was thicker than her hair. "I...should have…clogged?"

"Clogged…" A red fox sitting next to the girl leaned forward in his seat. He also sported bow. The fox flashed a toothy grin, "Clogged: dismantled, disemboweled. Believe me old chap we've all wanted to clog Pan at some point or another. You were just shy of the pleasure."

Congenially the fox held out his paw, "So well done, well done. I think you've earned an introduction. Robin's the name. Robin Hood. And…you are?"

Jim eyed Robin's paw. He did not accept it.

"Jim." he finally said as the fox's claws retracted into the orange fur. Jim flinched as Robin seized his hand and gave it a hearty shake.

"Newcomer, eh Jim?"

Jim drew back his hand. "Sure."

"Friendly too." Robin said returning to his seat. Leaning back, the fox gestured to the girls at his side, "May I present my teammate: Merida. Merida, say hello to the chap that almost beheaded Peter Pan."

"We've met." Merida said. She had a very roguish smile, but sincere. "Robin and I are captains of the archery team."

"Five consecutive champions." Robin and Merida high fived. "Don't suppose you do any target shooting do you, Jim? When you're not beating up Peter Pan, that is."

Merida nudged Robin. "Knock it off you sod! What was the fight about in the firs' place anyway?"

Jim glared ahead. The stage was a bustle with adults – including the duck and the clock.

"He's an asshole."

Merida snorted. "Well aye. We knew that now, didn't we."

"Certainly Pan is unbearable." Robin agreed, "But that's hardly motivational."

Jim shrugged. Merida cocked her head as a group of girls filed in the front row. "Playing hero, were you?"

Robin's triangular ears perked. "Ahh! The valiant-defender-of-damsels card." Robin smoothed his whiskers vainly, "I've played that role many a time, many a time indeed. Well I must say –"

" - Here he goes -" Merida grumbled.

"Faint heart!" Robin proclaimed, paw over his heart, "…never won fair lady!"

The girls ahead of them were giggling. Jim slid down in his seat. "Whatever."

"Aye." Merida muttered, rubbing an eyebrow.

"Attention. Attention." Master Cogsworth was tapping a microphone sound head. "Attention. Is this on? Master Donald is this – "

"ATTENTION!"

The auditorium jumped as Master Donald seized the microphone. His sonic squawk made every student cringe. The clock attempted to wrestle away the microphone.

"That'll be Master Donald." Merida told Jim. Her hair was frizzed more than usual. "He's a bit'o a quack – as the saying goes – but he liaisons directly to the headmaster."

On stage, Master Cogsworth had reclaimed his microphone and was using it to wack Master Donald's tail feathers. A group of students in the front row started whooping. A second group started the wave and it swept across the auditorium – Jim did not participate.

"Thank you! Master Donald!" Ignoring the dark curses from the sulking duck, Cogsworth straightened his minute hand before continuing.

"Good morning students. I have a crucial message from our headmaster. However, before we start with the assembly, please arrange your seating according to Sector."

The auditorium groaned like an upset stomach. The groan was accompanied by a collective migration as most students left their seats.

"There's no need for that." Master Cogsworth reprimanded over the loudspeaker, "Rules are rules."

"Devil!" Merida slapped the seat ahead of her in a huff. Jim watched as she snatched up her bow in a whirl of red hair. "Only the mermaids and fairies pay attention te that foolish rule!"

"Easy Tiger." Robin patted Merida's arm. "No worries. I'll see you at practice."

"What rule?" Jim asked. Students were shuffling between rows and filing down the aisles. Jim noticed with some interest that non-human students were accumulating in the seats around Robin.

"It's a bloody crock!" Merida shouldered her bow angrily. "They like us to sit according to Sector – topographically. As you know, Fantasia is divided into five large Sectors."

"East, West, North, South, and Center-Point." Robin chirped helpfully.

"And those sectors are further divided." Merida said, "Into the Divisions."

"You know." Robin said, "For example, the South – that's where I'm from – has Divisions of The ZOO, The Pixie Hollow, and The Drakeland. So…our seats in the auditorium…"Robin waved his arms to the side, "…Are here. In the back of the auditorium."

"And I'm from the North Sector." Merida threw up her arms. "Right up in the front of the auditorium. Hooray fer me!"

"What are the Northern Divisions?" asked Jim. He stood. A bear and rooster were edging down the row. Clearly this was not his Sector.

"The Highlands, The Wood, and The Mountains, and The Glacier." Merida nodded towards the front of the auditorium. "Most of our teammates are from The Wood. See that tall girl over there? That's Pocahontas. She's a third year. To her left is Tiger Lily. And Kocoum. Pretty fair shots."

"What about the other Sections?" Jim asked, scanning the auditorium for Wendy.

"Well, Merida's co-captain is Mulan." said Robin. He pointed to a girl wearing a tank top and running sneakers. Her fair skin was highlighted by muscular tone. "She's from the East Sector. Divisions of The Desert, The Oasis, and The Great Wall – named for the Great Wall itself, which separates us from…"

Robin shrugged, "…well…The Others. You know."

Jim watched Mulan for a moment before spotting John Darling. Returning to Merida and Robin, he pointed. "What's that Sector? The one in the middle?"

"Center-Point." Robin gestured to the center of the auditorium. Most of the students were weaving their way to the center seats. "By far the most populated Sector. Divisions of The Towne, The Burge, The Metropolis. Correct Merida?"

"Aye." Merida adjusted her bow. She looked at Jim. "Ye ask a lot o' questions." She said suspiciously. "What Sector are ye from?"

"I'm..." Jim scanned the crowd. The auditorium bustled like an ant colony as students funneled into their respective Sectors. Slowly, shapes began to form: four oblong trapezoids surrounding a center circle.

"I'm from The Docks. The Docks." Both Merida and Robin blinked in surprise. The rooster and bear behind Jim paused to listen before sitting down. Two short girls three rows down traded uneasy glances.

"What?" Jim glared at the two girls, rooster, and bear. He returned to Merida. "There a problem?"

"Not exactly." Merida leaned on the back of a seat. "We've never known anyone from The Docks before. Not at least anyone without a price on their head."

"Or a death sentence." Robin added surveying Jim with fresh interest. "You wouldn't happen to be worth a small reward dead or alive, would you?"

"Come off it!" Merida scolded. Still, she regarded Jim skeptically.

"If yer from The Docks." She said, leaning so a tiny girl with silky black hair and almond shaped eyes could pass. "Then ye belong in the Western Sector. Involves The Docks, The Lagoon, The Atlantis, and The Atlantica Division. Right by the ocean."

"And good luck with that." Merida added. "Bunch o' prissy wet lambs those lot are."

"The waterfront wealthy." Robin grinned, "You could feed starving village with a single wardrobe."

"Attention. Attention." Master Cogsworth batted Mater Donald from the microphone. "Let us be punctual students. Everyone be seated in three minutes. Spit spot."

Merida rolled her eyes. She turned to Jim and offered to guide him to his Sector's assigned seating. However, as Merida turned, Wendy passed.

"See ya." Jim pressed by Merida and pushed his way through the torrent of students.

"Wen. Wen! Wen, hold it." Forcing his way between two pale girls – one with bobbed black hair and another with long golden curls – Jim grabbed Wendy's arm.

"Get over here." Pulling Wendy to the side, Jim forced her to sit. Wendy looked anxiously at Master Cogsworth, still heckling over the microphone.

"Jim this isn't my Sector –"

"Save it." Jim held tightly to Wendy's wrist and blocked the end of the aisle with his arm. "Has he been doing that to you all year?"

She avoided eye contact. "What—what ever are you talking –"

"Pan!" Jim shook Wendy's wrist. "Who the Hell do you think I'm talking about? That shit in the hallway he pulled on you? And you let him? Has he been doing that to you all year?"

Wendy's cheeks flushed. "Off course not." She said huffily, trying to rise. Jim pulled her down.

"Ok try the truth now."

"Jim." Wendy pleaded twisting her wrist away. "Jim I have to go. Master Cogsworth—"

"Tell him to fu –"

"Jim!" The auditorium lights were dimming. Teachers were assembling on the stage behind Masters Cogsworth and Donald. Several students were noticing Jim and Wendy's argument.

Wendy beseeched Jim desperately. "Jim, please! Please I have to go to my Sector. Please."

"Attention. Attention." Master Cogsworth squinted through the dim auditorium. "Everyone hush hush! It's time to proceed."

Grudgingly, Jim uncurled his fingers.

"Whatever." He glared at Wendy. "Go."

Gratefully, Wendy gathered her bag and bustled down the aisle.

"Wen." Jim caught Wendy's backpack before she escaped. She did not look back, but from the inclination of her head, Jim knew she was listening.

"Do not let him touch you again."

Wendy's response was obscured by the dimming lights. Jim scowled as she darted through the empty aisle and slipped into a Center-Point Sector vacancy.

Unenthusiastically, Jim peered sideways. Dark forms with reflective eyes were focused on Master Cogsworth, preparing for his presentation. Despite his apathy, Jim wondered which Sector he had invaded.

"Hey."

Jim reached for the nearest student. "What Sector is thi...crap."

Worms writhed in Jim's throat. Simpering at him with glittering eyelashes and shimmering red hair was the bratty girl from last night.

"Western Sector." She winked, leaning tantalizingly across the seats. Pearl strands rolled in and out of her cleavage. "Neighbor."

Jim slouched away. The girl seemed encourage by his obvious disgust. Chewing on a nail, she pressed her arms into her chest.

"Manners haven't improved, have they Sexy?" Slinking like an eel, she eased a seat closer. "That's fine, Deary. I like my boys trashy. And bad to the bone –"

"Attention. Attention."

Jim exhaled, grateful for once for Master Cogsworth's interruption. A dramatic hush depressed the room as a soft light glazed over the solemn professors. The whispers and distractions settled as Master Cogsworth held up his golden hands.

"Students: We have for you a message from our headmaster. A message of vital importance. A message of life and death."

Silence sprawled over the auditorium. Master Cogsworth cleared his throat.

"Students of Fantasia School for the Magically Skewed…" Jim squinted past Cogsworth. He thought a small shadow had crept onto the stage, its identity protected by shadows much larger. Except for two perfectly round ears that flicked out of sight a second before Master Cogsworth spoke.

"…I present to all of our students…your prophecy."